XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, tor.general   
   XPost: van.general, ont.politics   
   From: ConsRCons@govt.cda   
      
   News / Canada THE CANADIAN PRESS   
   By: The Canadian Press, Published on Thu Dec 12 2013   
      
      
   Peter Van Loan hits back at critics of postal cuts   
      
   Government House leader Peter Van Loan is striking back at critics of   
   Canada Post’s planned service cuts, comparing them to wealthy big-city   
   dwellers who complained about having to lug their trash to the curb   
      
      
   Peter Van Loan says most of his constituents get their mail from   
   superboxes and cutting door-to-door delivery presents no big deal.   
      
      
   OTTAWA—Government House leader Peter Van Loan is striking back at   
   critics of Canada Post’s planned service cuts, comparing them to wealthy   
   big-city dwellers who complained about having to lug their trash to the   
   curb.   
      
   The Crown corporation says it will phase out door-to-door mail delivery   
   in Canada’s urban centres as a way to stem rising financial losses — a   
   move that would also slash thousands of jobs.   
      
   The plan to deliver mail to communal neighbourhood “superboxes” impacts   
   about one-third of all Canadian households.   
      
   Van Loan, who summoned reporters to trumpet the government’s   
   accomplishments during the now-ended fall session of Parliament, says   
   most of his constituents get their mail from superboxes and it presents   
   no big deal.   
      
   He says it reminds him of a time when residents of Toronto’s Rosedale   
   neighbourhood complained about spending cuts that forced garbage   
   collectors to stop coming up their driveways to collect the trash.   
      
   Van Loan says most Canadians are already getting their mail from   
   superboxes and that Canada Post made the decision after consulting with   
   customers.   
      
   “I am reminded of a time when the city of Toronto was going through some   
   rationalization and trying to figure out how to deliver services,” he said.   
      
   “The good people of Rosedale did not like the idea (that) no longer   
   would the garbage man come up to the side of the house to take the   
   garbage, it was going to have to be like it was for everybody else in   
   the country, they would have to get it at the end of the driveway.”   
      
   The Canada Post announcement came Wednesday, one day after the House of   
   Commons rose for its holiday break.   
      
   Rural residences — a big Conservative constituency — will be spared from   
   the latest service cuts.   
      
   Transport Minister Lisa Raitt, who is responsible for the post office,   
   says Canadians are sending fewer letters and parcels than ever, leaving   
   the Crown Corporation with no choice but to make tough decisions.   
      
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