The government is attempting to push partial deregulation of Canada Post through Parliament as part of an omnibus budget bill called Bill C-9, An act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 4, 2010 and other measures.

Part 15 of this bill would, if passed, remove international letters from Canada Post's exclusive privilege to handle letters.

This is the Conservative’s third attempt to pass legislation deregulating international letters. One bill (C-14) died when the 2008 election was called. Another (C-44) died when Parliament was prorogued in 2009.

It appears that the federal government has grown impatient with the democratic debate that accompanied earlier bills and is attempting to ram deregulation of international letters through Parliament by attaching it to a budgetary bill. Budgetary matters are considered to be questions of confidence. An election is triggered if confidence questions are voted down by opposition parties.

Given the nature and size of the bill, members of Parliament will not likely have a full and proper debate on the impact of deregulating international letters. 

Including partial postal deregulation in Bill C-9 is about as anti-democratic as it gets.

Why lettermail matters

Canada Post has an exclusive privilege to handle letters so that it is able to generate enough money to provide affordable postal service to everyone, no matter where they live in our huge country.

The corporation’s lettermail volumes declined for the first time in 2008. It clearly needs international letters as a source of revenue to maintain and improve universal public postal service.

The process

Bill C-9 was read for the first time on March 29, 2010. It will be debated in the House of Commons in the days to come. After second reading, it will go to the Standing Committee on Finance. Normally, a matter such as postal deregulation would go the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

The CUPW will urge the Standing Committee on Finance to hold hearings to discuss the partial deregulation of Canada Post.

The NDP and Bloc Quebecois have informed CUPW that they will be voting against Bill C-9. The Liberals have not yet provided the union with their position on this bill.

You can see Bill C-9 by going to:

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?
Language=E&Parl=40&Ses=3&Mode=1&Pub=Bill&Doc=C-9_1