CUPW President Blasts Minister about Secret Meetings

For Immediate Release

Ottawa – “Cherry picked submissions, closed meetings and tight deadlines are no way to decide the fate of our publicly-owned post office,” said Denis Lemelin, National President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).

“In fact, the Conservative’s ‘Strategic Review’ of Canada Post can safely be called a ‘Secret Review’ until the minister responsible, Lawrence Cannon, listens to the public, including 72,000 workers directly affected by the review,” said Lemelin.

CUPW has made seven written requests and countless telephone requests over the last two years to meet Cannon who has not been willing or able to meet to discuss important postal issues like post office closures, deteriorating rural mail delivery and open hearings for the Strategic Review.

“Does Cannon really believe three ‘experts’ working on a part time basis is a ‘Strategic Review’?” asked Lemelin. “Do closed hearings satisfy the Conservative’s campaign promise of transparency and accountability?”

“It’s a sad comparison to the same review now underway in the United States that includes field hearings in three different cities to ‘elicit views of the public’s expectations for the American postal system’,” said Lemelin. “And it’s a sadder comparison to the last review of Canada Post in 1995 under the Liberals that went to five different cities to weigh the evidence of 125 concerned groups including commercial users, competitors and community organizations. That review also heard from 40 individuals and included rural focus groups.”

“The Conservative government has to hold public meetings across the country or admit that they’re less democratic than the United States or the Liberals when it comes to reviewing public services,” said Lemelin.

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