Letter to the editor of The Hill Times: CUPW would love to meet with international mailers

The Hill Times
69 Sparks Street
Ottawa, ON
K1P 5A5

To the editor:

Subject:  CUPW would love to meet with international mailers

I am writing in response to the Canadian International Mail Association’s opinion piece (Long-standing international mail industry says it’s ‘fighting for survival and its right to compete’, December 10, 2007).

CIMA begins by saying that the union has never approached the association or its members to raise its concerns. We welcome the association’s apparent openness to discussing our concerns. We are keenly interested in knowing more about the CIMA and the industry. Our request for a meeting and a list of CIMA members is in the mail.

We also want other people to have as much information as possible about the CIMA and the international mail issue. That’s why we have asked the Standing Committee on Transport to hold hearings and hear witnesses on Bill C-14. 

We think the Committee should hear from knowledgeable witnesses on the subject of remail and the universal service obligation. 

Canada Post was provided with an "exclusive privilege" to collect, transmit and deliver letters, including international letters, in order to finance the corporation's universal service obligation (USO). As a result, we believe it is imperative that Bill C-14 be considered in the context of the USO.

Since the CIMA appears to be so open to discussions, we hope that they too have asked the Standing Committee on Transport to hold hearings and hear witnesses. In short, we hope that this very important issue gets the scrutiny it deserves.

Yours truly,

Deborah Bourque
National President

c.c.             National Executive Board