Government Operations committee  Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to address you on your tour of the country. I read briefly on the website about some of the other hearings, so I have a basic idea about the questioning thing, but thank you very much. I'm a retired member of the community. I worked at Canada Post for 40 years before I retired.

Government Operations committee  It's okay. I do. The front yards in bloom program is a partnership with the City of Edmonton, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, and the Edmonton Horticultural Society. We do a program every year where the letter carriers nominate yards that they walk in and that are in their communities for awards because of their front yards and beautifying the city of Edmonton.

Government Operations committee  In the time that I worked at Canada Post, I experienced a great many things over 40 years, as you can well imagine. I've been retired for two years. The big thing I want to tell you about is the culture of Canada Post, the way that it treats its employees, and the way it deals with the union.

Government Operations committee  I would agree with that, but I don't think you can run it in a business model entirely. It's a service for taxpayers, and it provides a service that no one else can provide. The way that people look at Canada Post cannot be purchased by another company. The security they feel with the mail delivery and the confidence they have in that is not something that can be purchased.

Government Operations committee  I don't think it necessarily has to be one or the other. I think that the expansion of services could create a situation where you're increasing your profit. I would be hesitant to say that I accept everything that would be in the report you referred to. We have city streets that don't make money, but they're a public service that we have to provide.

Government Operations committee  I don't believe that it's not making money.

Government Operations committee  I think you should be prepared to subsidize it. I think that the public service, the communication network, and the way that makes Canadians feel has a value, as well, on a balance sheet. There are lots of innovative ideas that have been tried. I worked at the first new direction outlet they had at the West Edmonton Mall, for example, when we went storefront.

Government Operations committee  I'm not sure how to answer that. It isn't supposed to be about a race to the bottom. You should be able to provide a good living to folks who are doing a good job for you and providing a service and not think about how little you can pay them before they start fleeing. You're already seeing that.

Government Operations committee  The document that I provided has a listing of some of these ideas that you're referring to, and I think that probably some of the greatest assets we have are those long-term, dedicated, skilled employees who understand and who have further ideas on how the work that they're doing every day can contribute and what can be added to what they're doing.

Government Operations committee  Without a doubt. You have to also look at this as a place where women have the same pay as men, and that's an important factor. The full-time job aspect is very important. Add those things in there if you think that we can gain in some way with the services, but definitely full time and every day.

Government Operations committee  I've looked at that briefly in some of the submissions that have been made already to you and that you've had from people who are experts in that area. I think the joint ownership and the management of the pension would be a huge change. Right now, it's 100%. I did sit as an alternate on the pension advisory council, so I was at some of those meetings with Canada Post in Ottawa, and the decisions are entirely made by Canada Post.

Government Operations committee  I think no one is going to say, “We're not going to consider anything”. I'm retired from the union. I've been gone for two years, but having been there and having seen the types of discussions that were taking place, I don't think anyone is going to say, “We're not even going to discuss that”.

Government Operations committee  I think so. I absolutely agree that they would be open to that, but as someone else mentioned, with the same individuals running the operation who are currently running it and going to something new and innovative, it's not always a good fit. You might need someone else who's going to come in there and say, “Okay, we believe in the expansion of services, and we believe in the way that this is going to function.”