Wanted: Meeting with Lawrence Cannon about our public post office

For immediate release

Ottawa-August 11, 2008—An all-out hunt is on for Lawrence Cannon, Minister responsible for Canada Post. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has placed a Wanted ad in the Hill Times asking government workers, ministerial staff, the media and the public to report any Cannon sightings.

“We have asked for a meeting with Minister Cannon over ten times since he was elected but he won’t meet,” said Denis Lemelin, National President of CUPW. The union has also asked Prime Minister Stephen Harper twice to help arrange a meeting.

“Now that Minister Cannon has announced a big review of Canada Post on the future of universal, public postal service in this country, we really need to talk to him,” said Lemelin. “We want to know why the government isn’t holding public hearings and what the reason is for the rush?”

The review was announced on April 21. The public and organizations can make submissions until September 2^nd. This is just four months and most people don’t even know that there is a review going on.

“We don’t think a speedy review without public hearings is a very democratic way to decide the fate of our publicly-owned post office,” said Lemelin. “We think it’s reasonable to expect a meeting with the Minister on something this big.”

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Lawrence Cannon, please call 877-L-CAN-123 (877-522-6123)

-30-