Canada Post workers press Liberals to restore home delivery, add postal banking

Postal workers will be at the Liberal Convention in Winnipeg this week, pushing for the federal government to restore door-to-door mail delivery and consider adding new services like postal banking.

Members from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) will be outside the convention centre to hand information to delegates heading into the Liberal event.

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Basia Sokal, a Winnipeg CUPW vice president, said that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau started the process to bring back door-to-door delivery shortly after being elected in October, but nothing has happened since.

"They did actually stop the conversion from door-to-door delivery to the self-serve mailboxes but so far they haven't made any promises as to restoring door-to-door," she said.

"They basically announced the Canada Post review and decided the public was going to decide."

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While the Liberals campaigned on a promise to stop the previous government's cuts to Canada Post, they steered clear of promising to restore home delivery to everyone who lost it under the Stephen Harper-led Conservative government, states a news release from CUPW.

Trudeau's Liberals have launched a public review that they say will be as consultative as possible, so CUPW wants to make sure Canadians weigh in on that review knowing they have options for innovation, the release states.

"We're here to talk about some good ideas we've developed for better services like postal banking, check-ins for seniors and persons with disabilities, more services for northern and Indigenous communities, a greener post office and, of course, door-to-door delivery," said Gord Fischer, national director of CUPW's Prairie region.

"Improving and expanding the services we can offer, and making the most of our profitable delivery network, will benefit all Canadians because the post office is everywhere in our country," added Sokal.