Mr. Speaker, today there is a byelection in the constituency of the former minister of external affairs. This reminds us that he is now head of Canada Post Corporation.
Mr. Ouellet inherits a Canada Post plagued with service problems. Cheques mailed from Saskatchewan to Edmonton take more than two weeks, resulting in late payment and interest penalties. I get reports of Christmas parcels still not delivered after six weeks. Photos sent two years ago are still not received.
A weekly newspaper goes from Tisdale, Saskatchewan to Swan River, Manitoba each week. The trip takes three hours by car, 20 hours by dog team, 25 hours on skis, 60 hours on foot and 288 hours by Canada Post.
May Mr. Ouellet find a technique to decrease the delivery time faster than he increases postal rates.