Evidence of meeting #38 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 business.
12:15 p.m.
Executive Director, The PEI Council of People with Disabilities
It could potentially help. The challenge that you're going to have is how to identify people with disabilities.
12:15 p.m.
Executive Director, The PEI Council of People with Disabilities
Well, we usually use a medical certificate for any type of application that involves disability. Doctors are now charging to fill out that paperwork.
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I don't think that's required. We will certainly follow up. I think we just have to communicate better through organizations like yours that are helping out so much.
I just want follow up on Mr. Whalen's question, although he did take my question. It's just about the crime at the mailboxes that you're mentioning. That has come up. We ask each time, “Are there statistics?”, and the answer is, “No, we heard it through such and such.” I know it's a concern, but I'm looking at the police themselves, who stated to the local paper that it hasn't been an issue. In fact, even cleanliness hasn't been an issue. Do you think people just aren't reporting it to the police? Is it just more of a feeling?
12:15 p.m.
Executive Director, The PEI Council of People with Disabilities
Yes, I think it's more of a feeling. I think very often what will happen, at least from the stories that we've been told, is that people felt they were going to be robbed. Then somebody else came along and the person left. It's the sense of vulnerability that the person has. It could be elevating their fear.
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I'll just ask quickly, but you may not have the answer.
We heard again about ice on the sidewalks, etc. A friend of mine lives here, so he toured me around here today. I saw quite a few of the mailboxes and took some pictures. They're all just on sidewalks.
Before the mailbox showed up, who cleared those sidewalks? They're not new sidewalks getting added.
12:15 p.m.
Executive Director, The PEI Council of People with Disabilities
No, they're not.
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Who was responsible for clearing the sidewalks before these mailboxes popped up?
12:15 p.m.
Executive Director, The PEI Council of People with Disabilities
It depends on the community you live in. If you live in Charlottetown, it would be the City of Charlottetown. They do the road cleaning first, and they do the sidewalks afterwards. It's still not done really well. We have many issues around accessibility in this city. Clearing the sidewalks in the winter time is certainly one of them. When you add to that the need to get your essential service of mail and you have to get out to that mailbox, it's just another barrier.
12:20 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
It sounds like the city needs to step up, but I understand that it's not just for the mailbox. It's for every time—
12:20 p.m.
Executive Director, The PEI Council of People with Disabilities
It's for all aspects, yes.
12:20 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Thank you again for your advocacy.
Mr. Casey, welcome. I wasn't quite expecting another MP here.
We hear back and forth about different promises. The lady I campaigned against federally had it on her literature, full 100%. I know it's different from what's on the web page, but her impression was for a full 100% return for everyone. You're saying a similar thing. You comment that the government should keep its word.
What will you do if your party doesn't keep its word?
12:20 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
As you know, our Prime Minister has indicated that all members of Parliament have the freedom to vote as they wish, except on matters that relate to the budget, the platform, and the charter. When you look at the platform, as best I can tell, any matter that comes up regarding home delivery for Canada Post will be a whipped vote because we have to keep our platform commitments. I can't imagine that there's going to be a problem. I will be voting in accordance with the platform, and I can't imagine there would be any sanctions or ramifications throughout Canada.
12:20 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Do you promise to return full door-to-door delivery if your party doesn't, or will you go along with the whip?
12:20 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
What we said was that we would save home mail delivery. That's how I'll vote, and according to the policy of the Prime Minister, that's what he expects. That's what I would think the whip is going to direct.
12:20 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
For Charlottetown, you were expecting and campaigned on the expectation that they would all go back to door-to-door delivery, or stay door-to-door and not go to CMBs.
12:20 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
It's for you and for the government and for Canada Post to determine what saving home mail delivery means. I'm pretty darn sure that that it doesn't mean being converted to a community mailbox six days after the election. I don't know what it will look like. That's for you to recommend, and it's something that will come out of this, but it isn't what we have now.
12:20 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Okay. Does that mean you've gone from keeping your word to taking our recommendation?
12:20 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
We can define what constitutes home mail delivery. Is it the 100% door-to-door delivery that people had before the election? Is it alternate day delivery? Is it something else? I think there would be patience and acceptance on the part of the electorate to accept something other than 100% door-to-door daily delivery. I do think that, but not for what we have now.
12:20 p.m.
Conservative
12:20 p.m.
Conservative
12:20 p.m.
NDP
Scott Duvall NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON
Thank you very much, to both of you, for coming. Thank you for your beautiful province here. It's really something.
Ms. Carroll, you made your statements about people with disabilities, and I certainly agree with you in every respect. One of the things I felt funny about when listening to the question—and I even see this in the report—is the option they use for people with disabilities to go forward and make an application and get delivery once a week to their homes.
Do you think that's fair when everybody else has access to everyday delivery, Monday to Friday, yet if you're disabled, you can only have it once a week?
12:20 p.m.
Executive Director, The PEI Council of People with Disabilities
I think you have to look at your definition of fair. For my organization and the people I represent, door-to-door delivery is a fundamental service that needs to continue in this country. It's about dignity and autonomy, for people to be able to receive their mail and open their mail every day in the safety of their homes. It's also about community building. That's what we do as a country in Canada. We have door-to-door services around civil society.
Do I think it's fair that it's cut? No, I don't. Do I think that it's putting people with disabilities who are already vulnerable in more vulnerable situations? Yes, I do.
12:25 p.m.
NDP
Scott Duvall NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON
Right, and our goal in life is to take any barriers away and make it as accessible as possible, with everything we can do for people with disabilities.
