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PRESS RELEASE:
July 12, 2004
Rural Council supports
the launch of
"The Free Press Advocate"
A
sorely-needed new voice for democratic advocacy
The Rural Council is pleased to join rural and
community associations across Ontario to endorse and help Doug Clark
– an award-winning journalist and nationally-acclaimed author –
launch a new publication dedicated to reviving the voice and rights
trampled by forced municipal amalgamation.
The Free Press Advocate intends to revive the
concept of “informed consent” by alerting its readers to issues,
policies and legislation – the “news” – that the mainstream media
will not report and which the community newspapers cannot report.
Initially a free monthly publication with a
projected press run of 40,000 copies, the paper is being launched
with the support of 20 grass-roots associations across Ontario.
Their $500 seed money entitles each group to 2,000 copies, which
they will distribute.
The plan is to increase frequency and circulation
with support from “subscribers” willing to invest $50 to help
champion this cause, paid advertisers and anonymous “Friends of”
the
paper. Those who can give more are asked to do so; for those who
find $50 a hardship, you can help the cause by distributing papers,
submitting articles, suggesting stories or just spreading the word.
There is a role for everyone in this grass-roots struggle.
We endorse this effort to put all similar-minded
groups on the same page at the same time, to provide a forum for our
lost voice and to challenge the divide-and-conquer tactics of
politicians and bureaucrats at all levels of government.
To pledge your support, or for more information,
contact Doug at
doug.clark@sympatico.ca or 613-489-2795.
Who is Doug Clark?
CLICK HERE
What other organizations are saying:
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"The LLA along
with many other rural associations and community groups
recognize the main stream media cannot report adequately
on rural affairs, the urban market dominates their views
and perspectives as well as their profits. Therefore
rural problems and worthy news is generally
insignificant or non-existent to the urban media: and
remains invisible to both urban & rural people."
Randy Hillier, President, Lanark Landowners
Association
"The
Richmond Village Association applauds Doug Clark for
leading the way with his new publication, focusing on
the gaping democratic deficit left in the wake of hastily invoked
amalgamations.
We rurals expect this publication will play an
important role in helping us regain our identities, lost
in large part through amalgamating with the urban
areas. Urban councillors tend to have little respect
for, or understanding of, rural life and values.
The RVA
looks forward to the many revelations and insights to
be published in 'The Free Press Advocate'."
Bruce Webster, Director, Richmond Village Association
"The Rural
community in Ontario is in a crisis like none before.
We are being marginalized, our services being cut and
our tax dollars wasted through amalgamations into
free-spending cities. The three levels of government
are threatening our rural businesses and lifestyles by
imposing bad laws and regulations that target our
rural freedoms.
In this time of
crisis it is vital that the rural communities across
the province rally together to raise a loud enough
voice to stop the assault of the governments.
There is a
critical need, for this province-wide rural voice of
the 'Free Press Advocate' to provide a rally point to
enable the rural communities of Ontario to come
together and push back at the growing threat of
government.
The West Carleton
Rural Association applauds the launch of the
"Free Press Advocate' as a province-wide Rural
voice and we are committed to supporting it in its
growth in the rural communities."
The West Carleton Rural Association
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