Stephen Harper taking away door to door postal service

[hitops]

Put me down for a 'who cares' vote on losing door-to-door delivery.

The sick and the old are a red herring. Let them keep the service. The other 99.9% don't need it. They just want it. Let them pay a monthly fee to have it. No reason the taxpayer should support that.

Right now I don't even check my mail more than twice a week. It's 2014, things come through magic digital pipes right into your house!

[Signals.Cpl]

So just put aside the huge problem with this change that's only going to get worse as Canadian demographics age and more people face mobility and disability issues? That is the issue.

Is that the issue or is it that this will cause some union members to lose their jobs? By your logic we should start meals on wheels for everyone regardless of age or ability because out demographics will change at some point in the future. If in 20 years there is more demand for mail delivery then by all means we should make it available. But the same way that our demographics are changing, technology is changing and in 20 years we likely will have significantly less demand for snail mail.

Be honest, this is about union jobs and nothing else…the elderly/disabled issue is nothing but an excuse because you don't want to come out and say what you really oppose about this change.

[cybercoma]

Your extremely stunted understanding of my logic is not "by my logic" and doesn't even warrant the dignity of a response.

[Signals.Cpl]

Your extremely stunted understanding of my logic is not "by my logic" and doesn't even warrant the dignity of a response.

Your "logic" is that we should maintain a service for 100% of the people because 5% of the people may actually need it, and that we should maintain that service because at some point in time the other 95% of the people MIGHT need it. There is no logic in that because meals on wheels indicates that when there is a need, there will be a solution without giving 100% of the people meals on wheels because 5% of the people need it.

You haven't given any intelligent reasons why this is bad, every one of your reasons is faulty and I can see why you can't respond. At least you realized your position is idiotic in only 12 pages.

[GostHacked]

So what do all of these people who are part of the 66% without home mail delivery do now?

One trend you will notice with new suburban housing expansions are being designed and set up for a one stop delivery. There is no door to door delivery in those new housing development sections anyways. Not only are they cutting home service for many, but with every new housing section going up, there will be no door to door delivery. You will see mainly the following in those new areas. So, the number not getting home delivery is most likely twice to three times that of what they say they are cutting back on.

[GostHacked]

Put me down for a 'who cares' vote on losing door-to-door delivery.

The sick and the old are a red herring. Let them keep the service. The other 99.9% don't need it. They just want it. Let them pay a monthly fee to have it. No reason the taxpayer should support that.

Right now I don't even check my mail more than twice a week. It's 2014, things come through magic digital pipes right into your house!

A monthly fee for home delivery? Don't they keep raising the price of a stamp in order to cover those costs? While at the same time reducing the amount of services offered?

Furthermore, there is no reduction in cost to my home delivery service when I decide to go with digital invoices. IN some cases I am paying MORE for the 'convenience' of using digital invoices. But the cost is incurred at the bank level and not at the postal level. So again, proof of paying more while getting less.

[hitops]

A monthly fee for home delivery? Don't they keep raising the price of a stamp in order to cover those costs? While at the same time reducing the amount of services offered?

Furthermore, there is no reduction in cost to my home delivery service when I decide to go with digital invoices. IN some cases I am paying MORE for the 'convenience' of using digital invoices. But the cost is incurred at the bank level and not at the postal level. So again, proof of paying more while getting less.

All arguments for why we don't need home delivery.

[segnosaur]

A monthly fee for home delivery? Don't they keep raising the price of a stamp in order to cover those costs?

They did raise the price of stamps, but the amount thay raised it would still not be enough to cover the cost of home of first class mail. Canada post only seems to turn a profit by selling off buildings, accounting tricks, and relying on parcel delivery (something which is different in many ways from regular first-class mail).

I think the idea has some merit... make the default service to be a guaranteed delivery to a "super mailbox" (so everyone would get the same service). Anyone who wants more "specialized" service (e.g. direct to home rather than the super mailbox) can pay an extra fee. Just like if a person wants express-post, or a registered letter (both features that cost more than 'regular' mail).

[Scared.In.Canada]

I live in a mostly white rural area and am disabled. How can I get my daily mail and parcels? Every single day I must walk all the way to the "superbox" or drive all the way to town to get my parcels in the blistering snow? This is crazy surely Canada post mail delievery must be protected. I get mail everyday and I look forward to it. it is the one bright spot in my day.

[Bryan]

I live in a mostly white rural area and am disabled. How can I get my daily mail and parcels? Every single day I must walk all the way to the "superbox" or drive all the way to town to get my parcels in the blistering snow? This is crazy surely Canada post mail delievery must be protected. I get mail everyday and I look forward to it. it is the one bright spot in my day.

How do you get your groceries? How do you do banking? See a doctor? Buy your clothes?

[overthere]

shovel that blistering snow?

I ahve home delivery and haven't gotten mail every day for decades.

Somehow there is almost never anything on Fridays, and more on Mondays. Funny that.

Edited October 22, 2014 by overthere

[Scared.In.Canada]

How do you get your groceries? How do you do banking? See a doctor? Buy your clothes?

I drive. Why should I have to drive every single day in order to get my mail? We pay more and more in taxes every year. Only for the government to taake away more and more services. It isn't fair.

[Scared.In.Canada]

shovel that blistering snow?

I ahve home delivery and haven't gotten mail every day for decades.

Somehow there is almost never anything on Fridays, and more on Mondays. Funny that.

I live in the country, My "driveway" is about 300m long, shovelling is out of the question lol. I have a service that plows it. I like having my box at the end of my drive way. The mailman sticks the flag up when I have mail. I can leave outgoing mail in there too and he will pick it up. Very convienient....now it's being destroyed!

Edited October 22, 2014 by Scared.In.Canada

[overthere]

sounds tough. maybe you should move.

[Scared.In.Canada]

sounds tough. maybe you should move.

So it's only permissible to complain when it's left wing pet projects? Otherwise I must change my life to suit the needs of the few...again....

[segnosaur]

I drive. Why should I have to drive every single day in order to get my mail?

Who said you had to drive "Every single day"? What about a couple of times a week? Or do it when you are going out to do your grocery shopping?

We pay more and more in taxes every year. Only for the government to taake away more and more services.

Actually, I believe Canada post is not supposed to be "tax payer supported". Its supposed to cover costs of the service by selling stamps.

It isn't fair.

Well, that depends on your definition of "fair".

Is it fair that others have to subsidize your lifestyle choice (i.e. living in the country and getting drop off at your own mailbox) by increasing the cost of postage and/or taxes to cover the extra costs it requires?

I live in the country, My "driveway" is about 300m long, shovelling is out of the question lol. I have a service that plows it.

Wait a second... you have the money to not only afford a house with a 300m long driveway, but also to hire a service to plow it, but you don't have the money to pay some kid in the area to pick up your mail for you?

Otherwise I must change my life to suit the needs of the few...again....

Just the opposite... in this case, increased postal rates that would be needed to subsidize your direct mail delivery are not affecting "the few"... they are affecting many. Its you who is "the few" that expects the majority to follow your wishes.

[Scared.In.Canada]

I have to subsidize medical care for those imigrants who never paid a dime into it in their lives. I have to subsidize for people to get cancer treatment even though I will most likely never get cancer. many things are subsidized by the many that`s how a modern society works.

[overthere]

So it's only permissible to complain when it's left wing pet projects? Otherwise I must change my life to suit the needs of the few...again....

People who pay the same costs for postal services yet get no home delivery are the majority in Canada. You're the minority. They're subisdizing you.

And where exactly in Canada do you live where you get daily delivery to your driveway in the country? Hmmmmm?

[segnosaur]

I have to subsidize medical care for those imigrants who never paid a dime into it in their lives.

While a recent immigrant may not have (yet) paid, many/most will get jobs and pay into it.

I have to subsidize for people to get cancer treatment even though I will most likely never get cancer.

Well, first of all, even if you don't get cancer, you will likely get some other disease that will require expensive treatments.

Secondly, there is a difference between something that is lifesaving (i.e. medical care) and something that is more or less a convenience (i.e. direct to driveway pickup).

Thirdly, any individual who DOES get cancer probably did not get it voluntarily. Yet in your case, it is your choice to live in the location you do. You are exercizing your right to live where you want, but the rest of us are under no obligation to subsidize that choice.

... many things are subsidized by the many that`s how a modern society works.

Yes they are. And many things are not subsidized.

If its somethign that will prevent a catastrophic occurance (e.g. keeping someone from dying or other grevious harm) then most of us don't mind seeing our tax dollars used to support, or subsidize others.

Something that is merely a convenience, or for which reasonable alternatives exist (e.g. expecting you to pick up your mail while you're already out running errands, or asking the person who lives closest to you to pick up your mail) is something that does not require subsidies, and you shouldn't be suprised if the rest of us balk at paying for it.

[guyser]

And where exactly in Canada do you live where you get daily delivery to your driveway in the country? Hmmmmm?

All over the place in Ontario. At the cottage mail is delivered to the private mailbox at the end of the driveway, same as everyone else.

Daily , delivered via automobile.

Edited October 22, 2014 by Guyser2

[Scared.In.Canada]

All over the place in Ontario. At the cottage mail is delivered to the private mailbox at the end of the driveway, same as everyone else.

Daily , delivered via automobile.

Exactly Guyser. Thank you.

[Human_Observer]

I really love a union whom moved my mail to door service to a central mail box location because the highway in which i have to cross to get my mail was to dangerous for their employees to deliever my mail to in a car, but was not to dangerous for me to carry a shovel across and clear the snow away from in front of the mail box.

I really loved that peice of mail every year, to clear my snow away from in front of my mail box on a highway that averages 40,000 cars per day.

Furthermore I went almost two months with out any mail because the new union employee delievered my mail to the wrong mail box, even though my mail box was clearly label with my house number on both sides and front panel door.

Got to love unions.....NOT!

[hitops]

I really love a union whom moved my mail to door service to a central mail box location because the highway in which i have to cross to get my mail was to dangerous for their employees to deliever my mail to in a car, but was not to dangerous for me to carry a shovel across and clear the snow away from in front of the mail box.

I really loved that peice of mail every year, to clear my snow away from in front of my mail box on a highway that averages 40,000 cars per day.

Furthermore I went almost two months with out any mail because the new union employee delievered my mail to the wrong mail box, even though my mail box was clearly label with my house number on both sides and front panel door.

Got to love unions.....NOT!

This is a huge part of the issue. Canada post workers (I have family in that category) do not justify their salary. Candidly, the attitudes are basically who gives a shit, mail can wait if I feel like it.

The best thing we could do is privatize is, and let the cost of mailing reflect the actual....cost of mailing. It makes no sense at all that it costs me the same to send a letter to my next door neighbor as somebody 2000 km away.

What would quickly happen is people would switch to e-delivery for everything possible, as would the majority of businesses and utilities.

Edited October 23, 2014 by hitops

[Scared.In.Canada]

This is a huge part of the issue. Canada post workers (I have family in that category) do not justify their salary. Candidly, the attitudes are basically who gives a shit, mail can wait if I feel like it.

The best thing we could do is privatize is, and let the cost of mailing reflect the actual....cost of mailing. It makes no sense at all that it costs me the same to send a letter to my next door neighbor as somebody 2000 km away.

What would quickly happen is people would switch to e-delivery for everything possible, as would the majority of businesses and utilities.

My mailman is very good. I get parcels regularly and when it's snowy outside the mailman will regularly bring it right to my door as he knows I'm disabled. Not all mailmen are bad, some are very good and do their jobs with pride. These superboxes will only remove yet another human element to our services. I don't think everything needs to be automated and impersonal.

[The_Squid]

I have a disabled friend who would sure like home delivery service. It would be much easier to get mail on the days she couldn't make it to the boxes a few hundred meters away.

Personally, I think there has to be an alternative. Perhaps they should look at home delivery to the elderly/disabled 3x per week. Delivery people could have much larger delivery areas since they wouldn't be delivering to every house. They could do it driving the little postal cars, rather than walking long distances....

There are other options.

This government is now talking about lowering taxes... Clearly their priority is catering to people who make a lot of money rather than providing and improving services to Canadians.