Speak out against mail service cuts

We all see Canada Post cutting service-less home delivery, more post offices being closed and more red boxes being removed.

As concerned citizens, need to react. We know Canada Post is losing money and they have to do something about it. The volume of mail is dwindling and the current business model is outdated.

Their answer is to cut service. Their new report authored by the Conference Board of Canada suggests to go to every second day mail delivery, no home delivery, to close more post offices and raise rates.

What small minded thinking. But it is happening right now. We see it here with 25 red boxes cut and less rural delivery.

I’ve had several inquiries from my residents asking for the return of their area red box and I’ve had to tell them that this is post office policy.

The post office charter, which details the expectations of the federal government and states the post offices related activities, is up for review.

We need to let the federal government know that the charter has to be improved, not used to cut services. The process needs to be more open and transparent.
Why not have consultations across Canada so we can have our say about our national post office?

As to the services offered by the post office, a new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives suggests that we need to look at how other countries run their post office.

Many other countries use their post offices to deliver financial services. Why can’t you go to your local post office to mail a letter and do a withdrawal from your account? Other countries do it.

The profit the post office makes from its financial service helps to subsidise its postal services. The UK, France, Sweden Italy and New Zealand all have financial services offered at the local post office level. Why not Canada?

This sort of idea can only be publicized and popularized by having an open national debate on the future of our post office not hidden away in a committee room in Ottawa.

We need to make this process more democratic and get Canada Post planning to better serve Canadians. Please write your local member of parliament to push these measures.

Terry Kett
Ward 11 councillor