More than 50 postal outlets expected to be transferred to private hands across the country in 2012.
OTTAWA, ON, July 23, 2012: Under the Conservative government, Canada Post offices are being closed across the country and services are being transferred to private postal outlets. This silent privatisation negatively impacts services that citizens and businesses rely on.
Between January and June 2012, at least 16 Canada Post offices closed or were given closure notice. Recently, offices in Pointe-Claire, Montreal North, Jonquière, Baie-Comeau, Hamilton and Winnipeg were targeted. In the coming months, the New Democratic Party is expecting Canada Post to do the same with about forty other offices across the country. In many cases, services are transferred to private companies, which often do not offer a full range of postal services, and where workers are often underpaid and non-unionized.
"This is a clear attempt strategically to privatize Canada Post," said Official Opposition deputy critic for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Robert Aubin. "But Canadians value their local post offices. This ideological approach is hurting the Canadian economy by jeopardizing important services for citizens and businesses."
“This ideological approach is hurting the Canadian economy by jeopardizing important services for citizens and businesses.”
He also criticized Canada Post's lack of transparency in the process leading to closures. "There have been public hearings, but only by correspondence," said Aubin. "Canada Post hasn't organized meetings with the affected communities. It also hasn't revealed the number of complaints from the public and only responds to complaints by defending the post office closures. It's a mockery of public hearings because they will not even consider reversing these closures."
According to New Democrats, this situation is typical of the Conservatives' lack of respect for Canada Post, including its customers and its employees. "Stephen Harper is continuing the demolition started by Brian Mulroney who, in the 1980s, closed more than 1,500 post offices across the country," said Aubin.
"The NDP is calling on the Conservative government to stop its ideological attacks against Canada Post and ensure that services remain accessible to people in both cities and rural areas," concluded Aubin.
Links and sources
NDP stands against the privatisation of Canada Post: Across Canada, numerous post offices are quietly being shut down.
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