Mr. Chair, obviously that is not the case. The case is this: Canada Post has reviewed all of the options in the report and it has adopted this five-point plan, and that is the one that we are supporting as government.
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Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, obviously that is not the case. The case is this: Canada Post has reviewed all of the options in the report and it has adopted this five-point plan, and that is the one that we are supporting as government.
Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, Canada Post is an independent crown corporation. It has determined its best path forward. For two years, it has analyzed and looked at all of the options, including postal banking, and it has determined that that is not the path forward for the Canadian solution. Therefore, we accept its advice.
Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, I cannot find that in my estimates.
Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, Canada Post used to offer postal banking services, as the hon. member knows, until approximately 1967.
We have excellent banking facilities in this country and they are institutes to be proud of around the world. As a result, they are in there.
Primarily, we should also remember one other thing. The world of banking is moving to electronic banking as well, which is exactly the problem we are facing with respect to letter mail.
Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, in coming to developing their five-point plan, this is what Canada Post has said:
Our challenge was to put forward a plan that balances the needs of all Canadians, while addressing the legacy costs of a system built mainly to process and deliver a large volume of mail. [...]It's the result of two years of analyzing all options, including those at post offices around the world, to determine what would work best for Canadians. We're streamlining our operations, addressing the cost of labour, adjusting our pricing to better reflect today's environment, expanding convenience through franchise post offices and moving the remaining five million door-to-door customers to community mailbox delivery.
That is Canada Post's plan and that is what we stand by.
Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, there are a number of items in there that I would like to correct. It is not just a very simple correction that is needed.
First, with respect to Canada Post's five-point action plan that it has embarked on, it has consulted across the country. Canadians have said that they want a postal system they can count on to meet their changing needs, but they also expect it to avoid becoming a drain on their tax dollars.
With respect to the year in review and the service levels that have been achieved by Canada Post, I think it is also important to note that this is the government that put in place the charter that was going to be used in order to measure the ability of Canada Post to respond to what Canadians want and need.
The charter standard was met as follows: 98.8% of Canadian population live within 15 kilometres of a postal outlet; 90.7% live within 5 kilometres; 79.3% live within 2.5 kilometres.
Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, Canada Post has indicated that it is vital for it to convert to community mailboxes in order to shore up against the loss of letter mail it has been experiencing.
As a result, it has undergone a consultation process in 46 communities across Canada. It has answered those questions to those communities with respect to the concerns that the hon. member raises.
Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, Canada Post has indicated that it will work with the communities with respect to the siting of these mailboxes.
Regardless of what the hon. member says about their esthetic value, the fact remains that they will have delivery of mail in those new mailboxes.
Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, Canada Post has indicated that it will be working with each community on where to site these community mailboxes.
As I said before, two-thirds of delivery in this country is already going to these types of mailboxes or mailboxes that are not directly door-to-door service delivery.
Business of Supply May 7th, 2014
Mr. Chair, clearly Canada Post has in place ways to deal with people who have special needs when it comes to the delivery of mail. It does that currently and will do that in the future, as well, when we move the five million homes that currently receive their mail at the door to where they will receive it in a community mailbox.