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UPDATED October 12, 2007

I finally heard back from The Parks Listens Panel Team (Ipsos-Reid) regarding their confusing Parks Canada survey and $1000 contest. The entire email is reprinted in the comments below.

A quick summary for those like me mightily confused:

There are two separate links:

www.join.parkslistens.ca is the official website for individuals who have received an invitation card to join the Parks Listens panel ($1000 contest)

www.parkslistens.ca is the login webpage for individuals who have already registered with the Parks Listens panel.

In order to clarify eligibility to participate in the Parks Listens panel and the prize draw contest, we have added more information to both web pages.

questions to parkslistens-parcecoute@ipsos-reid.com

original post from September 28th, 2007 below =====

I want to thank Frank Grigel of the Canada Parks Listens project.

He’s the first person who has acknowledge to me from the Project that he listens.

BACKGROUND:

I love Parks Canada — but complain consistently that their Park Entrance fees and User Fees are much higher than the USA:

Parks Canada Fees are too high – April 30th, 2007

National Parks – how much $ is too much? – December 11th, 2006

hike Canada or the USA? – UPDATE – September 9th, 2006

So far as I can see, Parks Canada is a typical, socialist government bureaucracy unaccountable to the Canadian taxpayer.

The one hope I might have some input into policy was an initiative called PARKS LISTENS.

At least they made an effort to collect input from the users of the National Parks.

Though I’ve been getting email surveys circulated by Parks Listens since the beginning, the Project to me seems to have been bungled. It’s run not by Parks Canada, but the Ipsos-Reid Corporation.

I have no idea where the Project is going. The time line. Nothing.

If you check the official website — www.parkslistens.ca — you will be none the wiser. (This redirects to http://iaf.ipsos.ca/iaf/parkslistens.html)

No information is available to the general public.

To promote the project, Parks Listens offered some $1000 prizes to those who join up to participate in their on-line surveys. The catch is … YOU NEED TO BE INVITED AND HAVE A PASSWORD. AND FIND THE RIGHT PAGE ON THE INTERNET TO REGISTER.

This process works for some, but not for many others.

In frustration, people ended up on this blog … venting. As am I.

Finally Frank sent us this message:

I work on the Parks Listens project. A person recently contacted us and said that when they tried to access http://www.join.parkslistens.ca that they were referred to this blog. I assure you that our site is operating and we receive new entries every day.

If you type http://www.join.parkslistens.ca into a search engine (such a Google) you are referred to this blog. Please try typing http://www.join.parkslistens.ca into your browser’s address. If you are still having problems, please contact us at parkslistens-parcsecoute@ipsos-reid.com.

I apologize to anyone who had trouble registering for the contest. It is real and the next entry deadline is October 31, 2007.

Thanks again, Frank.

I will refer people to the correct URL and email address.

But, seriously, why doesn’t Ipsos-Reid explain the project — and the contest — on the website? Here’s what it looks like today:

How friendly or helpful is was this?

Please tell Ipsos-Reid to put full information on the Project and Contest on the site. And to link to the seemingly hidden contest registration page so that those with invitations can find it.

Yeesh … Ipsos-Reid is one of the biggest and best survey companies in the World. They have thousands of employees.

How can they have messed up this Project so badly?

official website — www.parkslistens.ca/