To the Honorable Joel Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement
 

To Karen Hogan, Auditor General of Canada

VERSION EN FRANCAIS https://chng.it/jYBdH7t2Hp 

Mismanagement at Canada Post is once again putting at risk postal services to Canadians, the financial viability of this crown corporation, and the health and safety of our postal workers whose efforts and professional commitment ensure we receive our mail. A moratorium on all restructuring activities is required.

This is not new. In 2016, wide-spread public concerns about cuts in services to Canadians, poor financial decisions and undue stress for postal workers, led the Government of Canada to commission an independent review of Canada Post.

In 2018, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement announced its vision for change at Canada Post, with priority to be given to service to Canadians. The Canada Post Board of Directors was renewed, a new Chair was appointed, and guidelines were given to build more collaborative and constructive relations with communities, employees, labour, and other stakeholders.

However, the Government of Canada failed to undertake the necessary monitoring to ensure that Canada Post respects these guidelines. As a result, in 2025, seven years later, Canada Post is not only failing to implement these guidelines but has adopted an approach diametrically opposed to them.

·       The guidelines called for investment of profits in innovation. Instead, management has chosen to finance costly capital and non-capital projects, including the 470M Albert Jackson Processing Centre in Scarborough Ontario and fleet renewal, by massively increasing its debt to the tune of 743M, leading to a pre-tax loss of $748 million in 2023 according to its financial report. At the same time, it chose to sell off profitable subsidiaries and offer substantial bonuses to management.  

·       The guidelines called for a ‘service-first’ vision. Canada Post management is now using this ill-advised indebtedness as a pretext for restructuring services, including the closing or relocation of postal stations, in ways that will reduce services to Canadians. 

·       The guidelines call for more collaborative and constructive relations with employees. Management is unilaterally despite strong employee opposition implementing a new dehumanizing work-method SSD (Separate Sort and Delivery) with direct negative consequences for worker safety and mail service to Canadians. Since bargaining began in November 2023, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has met with the Employer more than 100 times to no avail.  

This petition calls on the Government of Canada through the auspices of the minister of the Department of Public Services and Procurement:

·       To immediately undertake a special examination and an independent forensic audit of Canada Post with special attention to major financial decisions concerning capital and non-capital expenditures, bonuses paid to management and divestment.

·       To put an immediate halt, pending the outcome of the audit, to all major capital and non-capital expenditures such as new facilities and new vehicles, and all divestment of assets.

·       To put an immediate halt to all restructuring, including implementation of the SSD system.

·       To put an immediate freeze on all management-level hiring and all elimination of worker positions. 

·       To undertake immediately any other steps necessary to ensure that Canada Post respect the vision the Government of Canada set out for the crown corporation in 2018.

Canadians, wherever they live, are entitled to have a postal service that responds to their needs, is cost-efficient, and respects the postal workers whose efforts and professional commitment ensure this essential public service. Please sign and circulate this petition so that Canada Post respects its obligations to Canadians. 

Lynda Watt, Montreal, QC

Catherine Vanek, Montreal, QC

Gerald Durocher, Montreal, QC

Ian Seales, Montreal, QC