Government Operations Committee on Sept. 26th, 2016

[Richard Lavigne]

It will be difficult to determine the types of needs. It is often very difficult to obtain medical or social evaluations in other areas. We already request them from many people for many purposes, and now mail will be added to that list. What concerns us is that, in addition to requiring a certificate, Canada Post could cite all kinds of grounds for not allowing it.

However, there will be no mechanism for appealing a decision that we feel is unfair. I do not believe Canada Post currently has the ability or medical and social skills to determine what accommodations are required for persons with given limitations. It would be dreaming in colour to think it will all be done easily.

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Merci.

Mr. Ratnani, you brought in a very different perspective on the parcel business, focusing on Purolator. How do you see it going forward? There was another gentleman who said that this is the fourth revolution, the e-commerce, and that Canada Post must take advantage of it. Have you any thoughts on this? Canada Post is in the business of logistics and it has the best logistical network.

[Hicham Ratnani]

Yes, I completely agree. There is no doubt that, although the majority of commerce is offline, the statistics don't lie. There is a significant increase in commerce being done online, whether it's desktop or mobile, especially with this generation of people. Amazon announced that they would be selling cars soon. In other words, every single thing is moving online, and so there is a massive opportunity for Canada Post to innovate on that front.

It is interesting that there have been moves with Purolator, and with SCI, so now I would question how this all fit together. Purolator is a very interesting service, as is SCI. I think there is confusion sometimes within Canada Post, and as a customer I have felt it and I have voiced it. Now there is an opportunity to take all of this together and move forward so as to compete at a larger scale. There is a massive opportunity internationally as well, to ship abroad. Canada can be an even larger exporter of its great products, and that's where Canada Post can do even more in today's economy.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Thank you very much.

First, should the committee have any further questions for you, would you entertain those questions? Would we be allowed to phone you?

[A voice]

Mr. Chair—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Please, sir.

Second, witnesses, should you have any additional information that you wish to provide to the committee, please direct that to our clerk.

Last, I would point out that there is a website that will be operational later this afternoon with an online questionnaire and a survey that all Canadians would be able to access. It is a closed-question survey, but it gives an opportunity for everyone to provide their additional commentary. We are looking to get as many of those surveys and questionnaires completed as possible from coast to coast to coast.

[A voice]

[Inaudible--Editor], sir. Why will you not take a simple vote with your committee now and add two minutes—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

We haven't got the time, sir. We are scheduled to be in Blainville—

[A voice]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

You are out of order, sir. Please.

We are adjourned.