Canadians say no to privatizing Canada Post

For Immediate Release

OTTAWA - Close to two-thirds of Canadians have no appetite for privatizing Canada Post Corporation according to a new poll. 64.4% said they oppose privatizing the Crown corporation. These findings are similar to other polls done over the last two decades.

"Canadians have consistently rejected privatization as an option for our post office," said Denis Lemelin, National President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. "This opposition has kept privatization-friendly governments at bay for many years, although it may not stop the Harper government."

CUPW believes the government-supported decision to eliminate residential door-to-door delivery could be part of a plan to privatize Canada Post. "Cutting door-to-door delivery would make it more attractive to a private sector investor,” said Lemelin." It could also undermine public support for our postal service."

He said cutting is not the only option Canada Post and the Conservative government have for dealing with financial challenges. They could increase revenues through postal banking like other post offices around the world.

"It's time to look at postal banking because there is no desire or mandate for postal privatization," said Lemelin.

The poll results are drawn from a Stratcom national online survey which interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1,512 randomly selected adult Canadians between April 9th and April 10th, 2014. 

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For more information: CUPW Communications - media@cupw-sttp.org, (613) 882-2742