Editor’s Note: The following is an open letter to M.P. Cathy McLeod, Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, regarding proposed reduction in service at the Clearwater Post Office.
Dear Member of Parliament:
Having just received a flyer from Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA) about a possible reduction in service at Clearwater Post Office I would like the government to keep in mind the fact that for all the increases in postage fees we have yet to see an improvement of service.
Compared with the service the post offices provided 30 years ago, when it was a service to and for the people, it has now become a money-cow for the government. Canada Post is (amongst other hard to understand publicity stunts) a sponsor to such TV shows as the “Dragon Den.”
Thirty years ago a letter would cost 36 cents inside the country and air mail to Europe just twice as much – compared with $1 (bulk sales 85 cents) inside Canada and the same Air Mail at $2.50 now.
At that time a letter to Europe took four days on a regular basis – compared with a full 12 days for a “get well” card from Clearwater to Salmon Arm now (without an explanation forthcoming).
Dear M.P., I hope you understand that for all the ‘modernization” and cutbacks of the workforce, the post office should reverse the direction and become the service again of which we can all be proud of.
Please do not cut the service from the post office for it has gone down further then the people of rural Canada remember it ever has been. Admittedly in the “good old days” this service never made money to sponsor entertainment TV — but also at that time Canada was known as a peace keeper!
Hans Krauseneck
Blackpool, B.C.
