Canada Post's Deepak Chopra says seniors want exercise from picking up mail

[CHIMO]

Last edited Wed Dec 18, 2013, 06:02 PM - Edit history (1)

The head of Canada Post says seniors have told the corporation they want more exercise and fresh air in answer to an MP's question about how the elderly will be especially hard hit by the cancellation of home mail delivery.

His remark caused Liberal MP David McGuinty to make a quip about "mail participaction."

Deepak Chopra was answering questions put to him by MPs at a special emergency meeting of the transport committee Wednesday. Parliament has risen so most MPs are back in their ridings for a Christmas break and won't return until the end of January. The committee also heard from witnesses from the postal workers' union, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Conference Board of Canada, the Council of Canadians for Disabilities, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and others.

Chopra said Canadians were widely consulted about changes and if they read newspapers and follow the media they shouldn't have been taken by surprise when the corporation announced it was raising stamp prices and cancelling door-to-door delivery.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-post-s-deepak-chopra-says-seniors-want-exercise-from-picking-up-mail-1.2469061

Dec 18, 2013 2:53 PM ET| Last Updated: Dec 18, 2013 4:16 PM ET

Warning: Foot in mouth rampant in Ontario!

Deepak, "Where's the beef"!

[riverbendviewgal]

1. Chopra

is a Progressive Conservative....He is just interested in profit.
I know a lot of seniors who are shut ins and have a hard time walkinng.

Progressive Conservatives also believe in privatizing prisons....it is all about money.

[CHIMO]

3. I Don't

Believe that the cutback will stick. Mulroney tried to cut the seniors out and he couldn't.

Just wait until we see a bit of detail. Where will the mail boxes be placed? Whose house will loose 20 to 30% value because the box is in front of the house. The flyers are now going to be going everywhere. City will have to raise taxes to keep the area clean. Traffic will have to change. There are many more things that will have to change.
Just a for instance. When will mail have been considered delivered and received.
I do not think that the Conservatives will be able to withstand the onslaught. How much will it cost to continue the service?

[riverbendviewgal]

2. blog at Behindthenumbers.ca. Cutting Canada Post: It's about more than mail

Sure, it's nice to have someone deliver the mail. But we just can't afford it anymore.
Actually, no. Canada Post has turned a profit in each of the past 17 years except in 2011 when a labour dispute resulted in rolling strikes and an eventual lockout. A pay equity settlement also impacted the 2011 bottom line. It literally makes money for Canadians (even though it is a public service). Yes, mail volumes are down -- although there are more addresses being serviced -- but package delivery as a result of online shopping is increasing exponentially, as Canada Post bragged in a recent media release.
But I hear the pension fund is unsustainable.
Unless Canada Post has to wrap up its pension plan tomorrow because the entire Crown corporation is going under (which we've established is not the case), the pension fund is fully funded. If, however, Canada Post is shut down, the pension fund will indeed be in deficit and taxpayers will be on the hook.
Door-to-door service is obsolete.
Obsolete? You sure? Because Canada just became the first country (woo! We're number one!) in the G7 to eliminate door-to-door mail delivery. And rather than implement cuts that are much more likely to lead to its eventual demise, there's certainly room for Canada Post to pursue expansion and development opportunities such as postal banking.


http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/behind-numbers/2013/12/cutting-canada-post-its-about-more-mail

[polly7]

4. I wonder if he's got any idea how many seniors are actually too afraid to walk

outside much in winter? I know of two elderly women since the first snow fall here in our small town who've slipped and broken bones, requiring major surgery. What an ass.

[CanSocDem]

5. There's a generation of corporate managers...

...that can hardly recognize Public Service even when it is the sole purpose of their corporate identity. My last job before fleeing into retirement was delivering bulk mail to community operated Canada Post franchises. None offered home delivery. All were governed from afar (ottawa) and paid the locals quite well to maintain the mailboxes, sweep the snow off the step and politely tolerate the community idiosyncrasies.

So I have mixed feelings on this. I appreciate the incentive of checking my mailbox, in a full service facility, one block away. Even today at -29C, the remote possibility of a Christmas Card, will induce me to change from sweat pants to long johns and jeans, swap slippers for winter(high-traction, low style) boots, don my winter parka and a woolen hat over my ears and brow and grabbing my mitts I'll trudge that block and hope that I won't have to get into a long conversation with anybody I bump into.

I had the occasion, before I retired to have face-to-face conversations with this new age of manager. Until I learned his language, every time I used the word "service" or "customer", his eyes would actually begin to glaze over.


.

[RAFREE]

6. Ask geriatric workers if this is a good idea

Elderly folks are prone to falls even when it is not winter. Broken bones are not uncommon as we age.

I have terrible rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative bone disease. I'm not that advanced in age but, I am in a lot of pain all winter long.

I know others on my street who are lot worse off than I am who I would seriously worry about.

We have a wealthy end to my street and a lower to middle class end. it's a LONG street. Which end do you think will get the boxes? Furthermore it's downhill to the wealthy end with the sidewalks NOT properly cleaned off most of the time.

I saw someone say "Well, get a neighbour to do it, it's great for the community to get to know each other!"

LOL! I live with student houses on either side of me and brand new tenants every single year. I barely get a chance to know them before a new crop comes the next school year.

There are way too many scenarios that just won't work for seniors. Where we used to live we had these community mail boxes and they got broken into a LOT. That's another issue.

Btw, who asked you Mr. Chopra? As for the head of Canada Post's remarks?? That is I'm sure a rather bold faced untruth.