Fun With Numbers by Frank Kemp

I held a poll recently in my neighbourhood. I surveyed 500 people and 498 of them were in support of a development on the Southlands. That is a whopping 99.6%.

This is great news and I hope all of you notice that my polling results are better than Frank Kemps. Ha-Ha Frank. I win!

Seriously, how ridiculous is it for Kemp to throw out a number and expect the public (or a newspaper) to bite. The latter did but what about the community as a whole?

What does the poll look like? Was it yes /no? Was it conducted in a certain area or in the whole community?

I will guarantee you that Kemps “poll” was conducted in Boundary Bay.

Kemps poll seems way off though. Perhaps he should contact the Mustel group that conducted a real poll on the Southlands issue a few months back.

In this professional poll, 61% of Tsawwassen residents who were familiar with the plans said that the Southlands proposals were going in the right direction.

Why the discrepancy in the numbers?

A couple of things. Kemps poll was “stacked” (as he defines the TAPC) and the other is that - believe it or not - there are other communities in Tsawwassen besides Boundary Bay. Many of these communities want to be able to interact and have access to other regions in our town. Many of the people in these communities support the plans.

In regard to the view that that the Tsawwassen Area Plan Committee has been “stacked” by Mayor and Council because there are two members of the former Southlands community Planning team on board, I would simply say that Frank is fishing for an angle that is just not there.

These two individuals are probably more aware of the details of the Southlands proposal and are probably better apt to address detailed discussion of it.

Ian Robertson is on the committee so what is the problem?

I guess Frank that thinks that other “experts” (Debbie McBride or someone a little closer to the Kemp roost) would be more appropriate on the committee.

As far as Bruce MacDonald goes, the Chair of the Committee has long been a thorn in the Kemp backed local political scene.

A little dig at the Mayor and some councillors just shows the resentment at play because Kemp doesn’t control them anymore.

This is truly an interesting sign and offers a glimpse of the changing tide.

The long and short of it is that Kemp and the crew don’t want anyone in getting close to their backyard and will fight for the right to speed along boundary bay road to get their milk at Thrifty’s.