<div dir="ltr"><h1><span lang="EN-US" style="color:red">MARCH AND RALLY: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">ACORN Members March 10 for
10 on April 17! 10k March for $10/month internet. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:red"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext">We’re searching for an internet signal ‘cause we can’t afford
our own! </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:red"></span></h1>
<h1><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext;font-weight:normal">ACORN</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext;font-weight:normal"> Canada </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext;font-weight:normal">members</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext;font-weight:normal"> are </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext;font-weight:normal">demand</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext;font-weight:normal">ing affordable internet access for low income families </span><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext;font-weight:normal">to address the needs of low
income families for high speed internet for </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext;font-weight:normal">daily tasks like
job searching, parents and kids participating in school programming, students accessing university or college, immigration and government programs. ACORN members want a national program of
$10/month high speed internet and subsidized computers for people below the Low
Income Measure. </span></h1>
<h1><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext">Ottawa members are seeking support of not only the federal
government but also Rogers, Bell and Telus. Rogers has agreed to provide a
$10/month program and is piloting this in Toronto Community Housing currently;
we are still wanting a faster product for families as the current speed is not
sufficient. Telus has also met with us in good faith and looking into possible
programs. Bell continues to ignore our requests to meet. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Times,serif;color:windowtext;font-weight:normal"></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0cm">When:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif"> Thursday, April 17 at 11am; march
until 2pm.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0cm">Where:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif"> Kick off rally at the Human
Rights Monument located at the corner of Elgin and Lisgar St; then members will
march 10K around the city. Our route will run north up Elgin, west on
Wellington to Parliament Hill, to the War Museum then south on Rochester to
Catherine, east on Catherine unto Elgin. Members will make a quick stop to the
Minister of Industry, MP James Moore’s office, at Queen and O’Connor finally
ending at the Human Rights Monument. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif">Why:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif"> We need digital access now!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif">All welcome!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0cm"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif">Access
to the internet is increasingly recognized by countries around the world as an essential
tool for participation in modern democratic society. Canada is the only G7
nation without a national broadband plan. The federal budget earmarked $305 million over
five years to extend and enhance broadband Internet service for Canadians in
rural and Northern communities, <b>but
nothing for the urban poor.</b> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0cm"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif">According
to a Statistics Canada 2012 survey, 42% of households in the lowest quartile of
$30,000 or less do not have home Internet access; compared to 98% in the
highest income quartile. This
"digital divide" excludes low-income individuals and families from
what the United Nations now considers to be a human right, comparable with
freedom of speech.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif">ACORN
Canada - the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, Canada - is
among the nation's largest organizations of low- and moderate-income families,
with over 51,000 members in more than 20 communities working together for
social and economic justice. <a href="http://www.acorncanada.org/">www.acorncanada.org</a>
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:22.5pt;vertical-align:baseline"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Times,serif;text-transform:uppercase">CONTACT INFORMATION: Jill O’Reilly 613 744
7228/808 6523, <a href="mailto:onacornot@acorncanada.org">onacornot@acorncanada.org</a>
</span></p><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr">Jill O'Reilly<br><br>Head Organizer, Ottawa ACORN<br>ACORN Canada<br>613-744-7228<br>twitter/ACORNCanada<br>Facebook: ACORN Canada and Ottawa ACORN <br><br><br><br><font><font style="color:rgb(0,0,0)" color="#888888"><div>
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