The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is accusing the federal government of sidestepping its own rules after Ottawa decided to move ahead with major Canada Post service cuts without holding public hearings, despite previously acknowledging such consultations were required.The union says the decision violates the spirit of the Canadian Postal Service Charter and denies Canadians the opportunity to weigh in on changes to a public service they own."The government has announced the cancellation of a planned, long overdue full mandate review required under Canada Post legislation at the same time these cuts will be hitting Canadians," CUPW said in a statement."This is profoundly undemocratic."Blacklock's Reporter said the dispute centres on the 2009 Postal Service Charter, which guarantees weekday mail delivery, affordable postage rates and a moratorium on closing rural post offices.As recently as 2025, the federal government stated that public consultations were necessary before revising the charter in order to gauge Canadians' needs and expectations for the postal system.Despite that position, the government told Parliament last Thursday it intends to proceed with reforms before conducting any broad public review."While a fulsome review of the future of Canada Post may be pursued at a later date, the government is prioritizing the implementation of recommendations as a key first step to put the Canadian postal service on a stronger financial footing," cabinet said in a formal response tabled in the House of Commons.The response addressed Petition 451-01070, sponsored by Conservative MP Mark Strahl of Chilliwack–Hope, B.C.The petition urged Ottawa to halt planned postal service reductions and immediately begin a transparent review of Canada Post's mandate that would allow Canadians and other stakeholders to provide meaningful input.CUPW said the government's response should concern Canadians..The union argued that rejecting public hearings before implementing significant service reductions ignores the public's ownership of Canada Post."Canada Post does not belong to government officials," the union said."It does not belong to politicians and it does not belong to corporate managers. It belongs to Canadians. It is essential that their voices are heard in open and transparent hearings in every region across the country."Public Works Minister Joel Lightbound, whose portfolio includes Canada Post, previously told MPs that the government intended to review the Postal Service Charter along with the Crown corporation's mandate, governance structure, regulatory framework and funding model, including support for rural post offices.In an Oct. 22 letter to MPs, Lightbound wrote that Ottawa would examine broader structural reforms affecting Canada Post.A month earlier, the minister acknowledged the financial pressures facing the Crown corporation."We cannot go on, you know," Lightbound told reporters on Sept. 25."Canadians can't go on footing the bill day after day, year after year, with increasing deficits."The government's latest position indicates those reforms will move ahead before Canadians are given the opportunity to participate in the public consultations Ottawa previously said were required.
