Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to comment on rural mail delivery.

This Conservative Government is not only supportive of rural Canadians, but we understand the importance of ensuring that they receive quality rural mail service.

In December 2006, the Government directed Canada Post to develop and implement an operational plan to restore and maintain mail delivery to rural roadside mailboxes.

The Government expects Canada Post to do its utmost to achieve this goal while taking into consideration the health and safety of employees and respecting all applicable laws.

Canada Post did act and has been acting in the best interests of Canadians to make sure that the job gets done.

There are approximately 843,000 rural mailboxes, representing about six per cent of Canada Post’s 14 million delivery points. Canada Post has implemented a plan to review the safety of delivery to all rural mailboxes.

Mr. Speaker, the rural mail safety review is a result of health and safety concerns expressed by postal employees delivering mail to roadside mail boxes.

Canada Post, like all federal employers, has legal obligations under the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code to ensure that employees have safe working conditions.

The safety review responds to more than 40 health and safety-related rulings by labour Canada and more than 1,400 complaints by employees.

In recent weeks, Canada Post has responded to the concerns of the Honourable Member for Malpeque by meeting him in his riding. This included a tour of the rural routes being assessed and a demonstration of the traffic safety assessment tool.

This tool was developed for Canada Post by independent traffic safety experts. The safety review incorporates a community outreach process whereby all affected customers are contacted directly. Wherever possible, delivery is maintained.


Where a box is determined to be unsafe, the first objective is to work with the customer to move it to a safe location. In the event this is not possible, customers are given a choice between delivery to a nearby community mailbox or a free box in the local postal office.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would also like to point out that Canada post is working with the Prince Edward Island Department of Transportation to ensure that community mailbox sites meet the province’s standards for safety.

Thank you.