Two rural organizations have emerged as part of a coalition of unions and social action groups campaigning to derail government plans to take Canada Post out of the admail business.
National Farmers Union and Rural Dignity representatives told an Ottawa news conference Jan. 13 the loss of admail revenues would take money away from Canada Post that could be used to keep rural post offices open.
Ottawa has ordered Canada Post to shed admail and the 10,000 part-time workers it employs.
Diane Marleau, minister responsible for Canada Post, also is considering proposals to get Canada Post out of the courier business which it operates through Priority Post.
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Although the post office will not say how much it earns from delivering economy, unaddressed admail, critics say it is a money maker for the crown corporation.
“What we see coming out of this is a loss of revenue for Canada Post and that can be a move toward privatizing Canada Post,” said NFU vice-president Chris Tait, of Rosenfeld, Man.
Cynthia Patterson, of Rural Dignity, argued Canada Post should keep admail delivery because it will preserve jobs, as well as generate revenue that can be used to maintain or enhance service in rural post offices.
Patterson was to meet Marleau Jan. 27 and urge the minister to fulfil a promise to enhance rural service. She also planned to argue Canada Post should stay in the courier business because private courier companies trying to replace the crown corporation usually will not offer “reliable or affordable” service to rural customers.
“This is a really big issue in rural Canada,” she said.
While most Canadians have indicated in polls they are annoyed by admail cluttering their mail boxes, she said removing it from Canada Post will not end deliveries but simply move it to the private sector where students and lower-wage workers will replace the part-time workers who now make the deliveries.
“Getting rid of admail from the post office is not going to get rid of admail,” she said. “We should be very clear about that.”
At the news conference organized by the Action Canada Network, spokespersons for national students groups, an anti-poverty organization and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers supported the campaign.
“The Liberals are out of touch if they think they can continue to ignore these organizations, their members and all the people who expect their elected representative to make good on their promises of jobs,” said Canadian Labor Congress vice-president Jean-Claude Parrot.
