Evidence of meeting #32 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was service.
Liberal
Yasmin Ratansi Liberal Don Valley East, ON
Mr. Sutherland, going forward, what should Canada Post do? You mentioned community mailboxes. If they consulted again with municipalities and SMEs to say here is what is profitable, here is not what is profitable, and take the whole formula of services versus businesses....
What would you say the road moving forward would be for them?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Unfortunately, Mr. Sutherland, Mrs. Ratansi has only left you about 15 seconds for a response.
Business Owner, Petrolia, Ontario, As an Individual
It's a balancing act. They have to admit that there have going to be changes and work both sides along the way.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Thank you very much.
Next up is Mr. McCauley for seven minutes please.
September 28th, 2016 / 8:55 a.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Good morning, everyone. Thank you for inviting us. I've been all over Ontario, lived all over the province, but I hadn't been to Windsor yet. So thanks for inviting us to your wonderful city.
Ms. Sitlington, I'll start with you. Postal banking has come up a lot. We've all seen that both sides are being pushed hard by CUPW and other interested folks. What services do you see postal banking delivering to people?
President, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
For lower-income people, people who don't have access to banks in the community—
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
You'd make it available to all Canadians, not just low-income, right?
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
What services do you see delivering to the low-income people that would generate enough profit to justify billions of investment in a postal banking system, with the training, the systems, the regulations, the higher costs?
Conservative
President, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Yes, it was ceased.
Now with a lot of these pay lender companies popping up where people in villages, because banks have pulled out of....
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Ninety-eight per cent of pay lenders are in the same vicinity as a bank. They don't operate on their own.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
How are you going to justify the billions of investment needed to set up postal banking and how is it going to be offset?
I know you're not an expert. I appreciate that, but you're testifying here that this will save Canada Post.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I'd like to hear what ideas? How are you going to make your money, with what services? Mortgages?
President, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
In the postal banking services, it gives....
Like in Italy, they are able to go to the bank and pay their bills, their gas bill, their hydro bill, that's done at the bank or at the post office. Everything in Italy is done—
Conservative
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Do you realize that every banking system you've mentioned, post banking, has been a privatized system, as well? Are you advocating that we privatize Canada Post?
President, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
No, I'm not advocating that you privatize Canada Post.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
It's just that we get these examples put at us that we should do it the way it's done in foreign countries.
President, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
This is just a way of revenue service to—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
I'm sorry, Mr. McCauley. Perhaps if you can let Ms. Sitlington respond fully, we might—