Editor:
One hopes the democratic process in Delta will be convincingly demonstrated when Delta council considers the Southlands development application on Dec. 17.
With a long background of community involvement, the large volume of comments, the recent background of the Tsawwassen Area Plan committee, and consequent updating of the Official Community Plan, and a scientific independent poll conducted by Ipsos Reid there is surely sufficient information available to make a suitable decision.
However, it must be said there is considerable misgiving amongst the community. Although council can maintain it has gone to much effort to provide information that is transparent and detailed, by holding a public information meeting on Oct. 25, and publishing most, if not all, details on the Corporation of Delta website, the information meeting failed in the view of many to provide definitive answers to many questions.
Although comment forms were provided at the meeting, and have been available for downloading from the Delta website, it is quite clear the majority of residents in Tsawwassen remained ignorant of this opportunity to register their opinions either in support or against the development application.
The comment form should have been sent out to all residents in Tsawwassen with the Corporation of Delta mail out that informed us of the Oct. 25 public information meeting.
It was, therefore, refreshing to receive a flyer reproducing the Delta comment form, which apparently has gone to most residents.
Council has seen fit to make quite clear that it does not endorse the comment of this flyer, which is understandable, and seems to object to the widespread distribution of its own comment form.
Council has now reached the point at which it should be taking note of community input. There is no point in having set up a process to obtain comments without the will to respect the majority of residents' wishes about this development application.
Let us hope it is not too much to expect that council will make a representative and democratic decision on this matter.
Peter Duffey
