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Monday, April 26, 2010

Delta’s Online Survey Hacked?

News Desk - April 26, 2010 - More problems with the collection of public information on the future of the Southlands were revealed Friday afternoon when it was found that electronic submissions of the most recent survey were changing responses from “no uses other than agricultural” to “allowing a limited amount of urban development”. After repeated attempts by citizens to get the correct response recorded, City Planner Barry Konkin admitted there was a problem with the website recording information from the electronic submissions. No explanation was given for this failure and there have been questions raised about the possibility of Delta’s computer system being hacked into.

This raises serious concerns about the accuracy of the data collected in one of the most important decisions for the future of Tsawwassen.

This comes after local residents forced Staff to redesign the original survey due to the confusing and ambiguous questions. During a public meeting on March 31st where people were organized into small groups to discuss the original survey, participants were told the questions were open to interpretation and could be rewritten by the respondent. After much backlash by the attendees, Councillor Bruce McDonald admitted that the survey and meeting format were flawed.

However, at that time Staff indicated they would keep the results of the original survey in addition to the new ones. This, when combined with the inaccuracy of the online submission process provides little confidence that a true gauge of public opinion will be found. This situation is leaving many wondering what exactly is going on, while further eroding public confidence in our elected officials.

“This is just another problem in a long series of flawed collection of public opinion” said Dana Maslovat, one of the organizers of Southlands the Facts, “Again it highlights the need for a public opinion poll at the upcoming by-election to try and get non-biased data. This would be the proper thing to do in order to gauge overall opinion”. Corporation of Delta Chief Administrative Officer, George Harvie, has recommended against having a referendum/public opinion poll regarding the future of the Southlands on the upcoming by-election ballot.

The potential re-designation of the Southlands agricultural land to accommodate a housing development is by far the most contentious component of the process undertaken to revise the existing Tsawwassen Area Plan. Any re-designation will change the Official Community Plan and open up the Southlands for a 1900 unit housing development by Century Holdings. This piece of farmland was the cause of the longest public hearing in Commonwealth history and a resident run plebiscite in 1989, which prevented a 2000 unit development that was proposed for the same property.

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