LETTER: Reducing mail delivery would have 'little impact' on problem

BarrieToday welcomes letters to the editor at raymond@barrietoday.com or via the website. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following is in response to 'LETTER: Simple changes would reduce Canada Post costs 'significantly',' published June 9.

With respect, in response to James Udsen’s recent letter regarding Canada Post, there are moves that could make a difference without requiring massive reduction to personal mail services. Of course, we are in the midst of the electronic revolution, so it might be moot since very little business is conducted by mail.

Mr. Udsen suggested two changes: reduce manpower and reduce health-care claims. He also suggests community mailboxes, to reduce delivery times, and delivery only three times a week.

Completing delivery only three times a week, as suggested, would make little impact when the volume of mail flowing through the system remains the same. We would all simply have larger bundles in the community mailbox.

Community mailboxes make sense and are in place in many locations. But unless we revert to “Mayberry” post office pickup in town, it doesn’t work well in rural areas.

Reducing manpower might be a solution if it would actually save overhead. Until there are driverless “robo” mail routes, this will be difficult.

As to health-care claims, I’m not sure how this applies.

Might I suggest that we reduce the overall volume by eliminating the subsidy for political mailings? We might also eliminate the delivery of flyers, posters, and “junk” mail or raise the rates such that it covers the actual cost of delivery.

Finally, since mail delivery is a vital element of any civilized society, perhaps it should not be a Crown corporation but a fully funded department. After all, the idea of a Crown corporation is that it can sustain itself through its fees and contracts.

If this is not feasible for mail delivery, perhaps we should revise Canada Post such that it continues to deliver essential personal mail and packages with public support. Perhaps it is time to decide that paper mail is obsolete and eliminate it altogether. Perhaps all business-related shipping should take place through private carriers.

However it is modified, Canada Post cannot compete with UPS or FedEx, so why try? Deliver what it does best — personal mail at reasonable rates.

Dennis Rizzo
Orillia