Concerns about Canada Post Review

BY MAIL AND EMAIL

Judy Foote, Minister of
Public Services and Procurement
11 Laurier Street
Phase 111, Place du Portage
Gatineau, QC K1A 0S5

Dear Minister Foote:

Re: Concerns about Canada Post Review

It is our understanding that the Clerk of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates has asked committee members for witness suggestions for the public consultations being held this fall in connection with the Canada Post Review.

It appears that they were asked on July 13th to send suggestions by July 19th. This is not a reasonable amount of time. Also, it is not clear whether anyone other than committee members will be allowed to make witness suggestions.

When you announced the Canada Post Review in May of this year, you indicated that it would be different than previous reviews. You said, “It is fully open and transparent and it is evidence-based so that informed decisions can be made. The government wants to hear from citizens about their needs and expectations of postal services. Canadians must have a say in any major decisions about the future of Canada Post.”

I have to say that, to date, the review has not been as open and transparent as hoped. Moreover, it has been difficult for Canadians to have their say since most of them do not even know a review is going on.

The process and deadlines for phase 2 of the review (the parliamentary committee stage) are largely unknown. We know where the committee is going but we do not know how Canadians will be able to have their say. There is nothing on the Canada Post Review website or webpage of the Standing Committee on Government Operations that provides this information.

Similarly, there was nothing on the Canada Post Review website about the input deadlines for phase 1 (the task force stage) until people started asking about the due dates. Deadlines were eventually added to the task force sub-page but not to the infographic outlining the review process on the homepage.

In order to increase openness and transparency, the union would like to see the review process for phase 2 outlined on the Canada Post Review website as soon as possible, with deadlines and other critical information (i.e. types of consultations, expectations for witnesses, length of submissions, etc.). It will be difficult for Canadians to have their say if they do not know about the consultations, or if they only have a couple weeks notice of the meetings being held throughout the country. We would like to know what the government intends to do to ensure that more Canadians know that there is a review of Canada Post being conducted.

I look forward to your response to this very important matter.

Yours truly,

Mike Palecek
National President

c.c.

National Executive Committee
Regional Executive Committees
National Union Representatives
Regional Union Representatives
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Karine Trudel, MP
Erin Weir, MP
Louis Plamondon, MP
Steven Blaney, MP
Elizabeth May, MP