OGGO Committee Report

Conservative Supplementary Report

Introduction

During its study of Postal Services in Canada’s Rural and Remote Communities, members of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, heard from witnesses who raised concerns regarding the state of the services being provided by Canada Post to Canadians living in rural and remote communities.

While the study was focused on the provision of services to these communities it became evident that an even greater concern is the financial viability of Canada Post and its ability to fulfill its mandate to provide quality postal services to all Canadians while running ever increasing deficits which are nearing $1 billion in a single calendar year.

State of Canada Post

In 2023, Canada Post ran a deficit of over $750 million, and this deficit is expected to increase year over year.

During the course of the study, the CEO of Canada Post told the committee that the current Liberal government has failed to approve a new corporate plan for Canada Post since 2019.

This means that Canada Post has had to deal with the pandemic and the changing mail landscape, with old plans which are not suited to the new reality thus putting the financial viability of Canada Post in jeopardy.

Conclusion

Conservatives have serious concerns about the state of Canada Post after nine years of an overbearing and interventionist Liberal government. 

While the main report contains some recommendations which are sound, it avoids addressing the most serious issues which Canada Post faces in pursuing its mandate as a self-sustaining crown corporation tasked with delivering quality mail services to all Canadians.

Therefore, Conservatives can only partially agree with the recommendations contained in the main report.