Thank you very much.
Earlier, I mentioned a survey conducted in 2015, which showed that 85% of people have a very good opinion of letter carriers and they trust them. Letter carriers are Canada Post’s resources. Why not use them? Letter carriers are an asset, not a liability. We must not forget that Canada Post has a brand. When we think of Canada Post, the image of a letter carrier is the first that comes to mind, not that of a mailbox.
In addition, letter carriers have a calming presence in communities, for the elderly, but also for everyone, regardless of social class or age. Because letter carriers follow the same route every day in neighbourhoods, everyone knows them.
It is not uncommon to hear on the news—possibly three or four times a year—about cases of citizen action in which letter carriers lend a helping hand. Those can include fires, missing persons, 911 calls or seniors in difficulty. Letter carriers go to residences once a day; they know the faces and the habits of the occupants. If they deliver mail to someone who is usually always in the house and, after three days, the mailbox has not been emptied, they might think that something is wrong. Very often, letter carriers are in the best position—sometimes in an even better position than the neighbours—to realize something is wrong.
Credibility was also discussed. As I skimmed through the document that was presented, I noticed that the possibility of using Canada Post for deliveries is mentioned if marijuana is legalized. This shows that we have confidence in our letter carriers and that we believe they could take on this responsibility.
This means that they do good work, and especially that they are credible in the public eye. I think that is fundamental. We are talking about supporting the people, and I can give an example of what was done in the past. In 1982 or 1984, programs were established in various locations across Canada to provide basic support, such as home support in collaboration with local community service centres, or CLSCs. In the Montreal area in particular, it might be useful to implement a program like that for the aging population. I am talking about maintaining basic contact with the people.
Programs already exist. Are they new? No. We have already tried them. Many other countries, such as France, Belgium, Japan and Germany, have similar initiatives. Letter carriers do the visits.
Clearly, we are talking about an idea. We could determine whether it can be applied on a case-by-case basis. If necessary, I would be happy to come back to work on it with you.
Letter carriers can do some very simple checks. The people from Desjardins told us that we are in the era of technology with BlackBerrys and iPhones. Letter carriers can also use those devices to gather information. For example, they can use forms to ask health questions. The answers will just be yes or no. France uses systems like that. Japan has a system of visits for keeping watch. Say, someone is observed to be in poor health. If the respondent states that they are not doing well, then they can be referred to the appropriate medical authorities or CLSCs. In some cases, the program could include families.
To me, this is a vision, a dream, that seems appealing. I’m an outsider, not a letter carrier, to be clear. In past years, ads used to present Canada Post as an employer of choice. That has not been the case for some time.
If there is a key element, the letter carriers are it. Let's start using the positive contribution they can bring and build on that. These are suggestions. In Finland, there is a company called PostNorden, I think—I'm not sure, perhaps someone could confirm it—that provides a dynamic delivery service. Dynamic delivery may include the delivery of hot meals or laundry services. That’s quite significant, and I honestly don't think we are there yet. However, it seems interesting and may be worth exploring.
We have a skilled workforce, mobile and familiar with its routes. Why not give them an additional purpose, especially for the aging population? I am not in favour of keeping the elderly in cages. I love them. I am often in contact with them. If they want to stay in their homes, let's give them the tools to make that possible, at least let's give them the opportunity to discuss it.
That's why I'm pleased to be here. This kind of project is not one that we can wrap up in one or two years; it would take 15 years or so. As soon as we have discussions, we can set up pilot projects. Others countries have done so. It's something to think about.
We have competent people, so let's use put them to good use.
That's all.
Thank you very much.