<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">Marita .. Thanks for all you do and share with us. I do appreciate being a part of this discussion at this point in my life. The 2020 article shared, "The ‘digital divide’ is about equity, not infrastructure", left me feeling uncomfortable for a number of reasons. I will also add that I do agree that the issue of equity is critical in any discussion about the "digital divide" but equity comes in many forms missing in this article .. in particular access to the necessary connections to even participate in any effective manner in the other equity issues discussed.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">1. I wondered about the authors and their experience in working and serving remote and rural communities across Canada to take the position they are taking in this article. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">2. The article seems well positioned for those located in well-served environments and looks to address the very important "effective use" requirements for everyone to be able to access online services and applications.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">3. Knowing that any community in Canada remains disconnected or underserved from the necessary infrastructure required to effectively access online services, applications and opportunities makes the title and the discussion privileged, colonial with some very systemic issues. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">4. Stating that "Rights protects Canadians from discrimination" and recognizing various marginalized groups in one sentence without addressing systemic and environmental racism within a very corporate-captured government and the telecom industry across Canada is another issue I have with the article.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">5. Lobbying for programs from positions of privilege to support equitable access to services is great but I believe it requires a level of sensitivity that avoids pitting one marginalized group (those without infrastructure) against others. We all have been involved in similar types of struggle for far too long to ignore this one. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">Anyway, I share these thoughts in the hope that the issues raised in the article can be prioritized in such a way that when the last community and every household in that community is able to decide if they want or refuse to connect to fibre-to-the-home, then the programs and support services advocated for in this article.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">I hope this reaction avoids offending anyone .. With all good thoughts ..</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">Brian</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Jun 2, 2021 at 2:28 PM Marita Moll <<a href="mailto:mmoll@ca.inter.net">mmoll@ca.inter.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div>
<p>Hello advisors. Just got off the Ryerson Leadership workshop on
digital access. It is thoroughly interesting to see the amount of
activity this topic is suddenly generating -- after being dormant
for so long. A bit of déjà vu alright -- what is being discussed
looks a lot like the CAP program. It was lively discussion with
lots of input from libraries (Vancouver, Toronto), the Toronto
Digital Access Project and and a former colleague from the days of
the CRACIN SSHRC project (2001-2005) Michael Lenzner who started
the Montreal open wi-fi project called Il sans Fil.</p>
<p>Here is an interesting article about the "digital divide" you
might enjoy. I will send around a link to the session recording
once it comes through.<br>
</p>
<p><a href="https://policyresponse.ca/the-digital-divide-is-about-equity-not-infrastructure/" target="_blank">The
‘digital divide’ is about equity, not infrastructure - First
Policy Response</a></p>
<p>Marita<br>
</p>
</div>
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</blockquote></div><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div>Brian Beaton<br>Box 104, Fredericton, NB, E3B 4Y2<br>C: 506-261-1344<br>E: <a href="mailto:brianbeaton.nb@gmail.com" target="_blank">brianbeaton.nb@gmail.com</a><br></div></div>