Media Release for August 20, 2008

Statement Regarding Canada Post Corporation Strategic Review

Sue McSheffrey commended Erin McGrath, president of CUPW 588 and the Canada Post workers for publicizing the Canada Post Strategic Review. She was unable to attend the forum held today in Pembroke due to family commitments but sent the following statement:

The secretive strategic review of Canada Post is an insult to Canadians. The fast turn around time and lack of public consultation implies that a decision about the future of our post offices has already been made. It is outrageous that a public institution like our post office should not have public hearings when major reviews are being considered. I’m sure that the residents of Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke do not expect their MP Cheryl Gallant to support the loss of our post offices. Thank goodness for the members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, especially Erin McGrath for organizing the forum today and giving local people a voice. Unfortunately I can’t be present as my family has tickets to see Wicked in Ottawa. It is particularly fitting as it is wicked to see what Stephen Harper is trying to do to our postal system. Canada Post has been under attack ever since the conservative government of Stephen Harper came into power. Last year in February the CD Howe Institute, a well known right wing group, published a report suggesting that Canada Post should be privatized. Our party stands behind the workers at Canada Post and is proud to join the fight to keep our public postal system intact.

Other points of concern for Mrs. McSheffrey and the NDP are

1. The impact on the environment of deregulation. “Not only will householders have to all drive their own vehicles into town to pick up mail but there could also be several companies collecting and distributing the mail where there is only Canada Post today. The impact on the environment of all the extra vehicles on the road is huge and totally unnecessary.”
2. Rural Canada will be the loser in a deregulated system. Companies will be interested in high density markets where they can make a lot of money delivering and collecting mail. Areas like Renfrew County will be costly to service and therefore we will be ignored or we’ll pay more.
3. In countries with deregulated mail, the price of stamps has skyrocketed.
4. Canada is a vast country. A public system like Canada Post provides equitable service no matter where you are mailing a letter from or to. This will most certainly change with de regulation.
5. Job losses would be inevitable in a deregulated industry and any new jobs would be casual low wage jobs, hardly the best news for an area as depressed as Renfrew County.

She urged local residents to get involved and respond to the strategic review by writing to the commission before the September 2 2008 deadline at:
Canada Post Corporation Strategic Review
330 Sparks Street (HCCR)
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N5
By fax 613-990-9033
Or email at info@cpcsr-esscp.gc.ca

For more information please contact Sue McSheffrey at 613 432 7208 or e-mail: skmcsh@sympatico.ca

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