by Doug Ramsey 04/02/2014
While the Journal of Rural Policy Studies conceived by ICRPS founders did not come to fruition, myself with others (including ICRPS members not mentioned in John Bryden’s history of ICRPS) did found the Journal of Rural and Community Development (JRCD) in 2005. Given my recent post about technology I thought it appropriate to announce the release of the newest JRCD issue (Volume 8, Issue 2). 
This is a special issue focusing on the remote rural broadband deficit in Canada. The special issue editors are William Ashton (Brandon University and current ICRPS member) and Scott Carson (Queen’s University). The introductory editorial explains the issue which includes six peer-reviewed articles. Please go to www.jrcd.ca to access these articles for free!!
Editorial
The Remote Rural Broadband Deficit in Canada (by A Scott Carson)
Articles
1. Rural Broadband Development in Canada’s Provinces: An Overview of Policy Approaches (by Reza Rajabiun and Catherine Middleton)
2. The New Telecommunications Sector Foreign Investment Regime and Rural Broadband (by Michael B McNally and Samuel E Trosow)
3. Beyond Infrastructure: Broadband for Development in Remote and Indigenous Regions (by Heather E Hudson)
4. Reducing the Digital Divide in Rural Manitoba: A Proposed Framework (by William Ashton and Roger Girard)
5. How Women in Remote and Rural First Nation Communities are Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) (by Penny Carpenter, Kerri Gibson, Crystal Kakekaspan Kakekaspan and Susan O’Donnell)
6. Social Media for Enhancing Innovation in Agri-food and Rural Development: Current Dynamics in Ontario, Canada (by Ataharul Chowdhury and Helen Hambly Odame)
Doug Ramsey is a Professor at Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada. He participated in the 2004 (Ontario), 2005 (Belgium), 2009 (Scotland), and 2011 (Norway) ICRPS institutes, hosted the 2006 Institute in Manitoba, and assisted in planning the 2007 (Spain) Institute. He is a rural geographer interested in preservation of prime agricultural land in Canada and rural tourism. Email Doug at ramsey@brandonu.ca