CUPW representatives recently met with Paul Dewar, postal critic for the New Democratic Party, Mario Laframboise, postal critic for the Bloc québécois and Chris White, chief of staff to Liberal postal critic Belinda Stronach.
At these meetings, the union requested that party representatives ask Lawrence Cannon, the new Minister Responsible to:
1. Review the decision to close the Quebec City mail sorting plant, as the Conservatives promised. In the fall of 2005, the Conservative Party said a Conservative government would review the decision to close the Quebec City plant. Brian Pallister, then postal critic for the Conservative party went so far as to say that the party opposed the decision to close the plant. But so far Minister Cannon has not been able to meet to discuss the party's promise to oppose and review the plant closing.
2. Continue the moratorium on rural post office closures put into place by the Liberal Government in 1994 and extend this moratorium to include urban offices. The Conservative Party's position on the moratorium is not clear.
3. Release documents relating to Canada Post's postal network review and overall plans for our public post office. Canada Post is conducting a "network review" and the federal government has conducted a "policy framework review." The public, postal workers and Parliament need to see what the corporation and government are planning so that we can all have a full and open debate on plans for our public post office.
CUPW also requested that party representatives send a letter to Canada Post President Moya Greene requesting Canada Post’s plans for the network and its overall plans for our post office. As well, we asked that they do what they can to get Greene to appear before the parliamentary committee responsible for the post office.
We are also hoping that postal critics can put pressure on the Conservatives to live up to their commitments in Quebec and to be transparent and accountable about the moratorium and other important postal issues. The union has asked them to consider making statements, asking questions and presenting our petitions in the House.
