Do you remember when Canada Post delivered on bicycles? I worked there 35 years and I don't remember them.

There were and still are a lot of good things about Canada Post.

With the recent developments of cuts to mail delivery and the raising of stamp rates, I would like to share with you communications that I sent to politicians on the past, present and future of Canada Post:

"The Post Office was set up to deliver "high volume/low cost" mail to all the people in Canada.

Imagine if someone at Canada Post had invented Facebook or Twitter. It certainly wouldn't be in the state that it is now.

I know that Canada Post gives volume discounts to the ad mailers, but many years ago Christmas cards had a discounted rate so that customers would send many of them. That promotion worked beautifully then.

Customers should be encouraged to use letter mail, not only for Christmas, but for Valentine's Day, Mother Day's and birthdays. If it's a personal card, it should get a discounted rate. 

Christmas parcels should be discounted as well in order to encourage more gifts sent at Christmas time. Lets have a "Black Friday Week" for Christmas presents in November.

The Pension Plan

The Canada Post Pension Plan was originally part of the civil service plans and then downloaded onto Canada Post. This was a mistake because it's basically the same defined benefits plan as the civil service only with liabilities. This includes "Solvency Deficits".

The liabilities of business downturns and a Post Office full of boomers should have been apparent to the Government at that time.

The fate of the Canada Post Pension Plan should be the same as other civil service pension plans.

An "Enhanced Canada Pension Plan" (CPP) would probably be the best choice for a new pension plan at Canada Post and the rest of the federal/provincial civil service.

 The Future of Canada Post and Expanded Internet Services

Granted there has been some use of the internet in delivering parcels, but the potential of what can be done hasn't been fully tapped.

Here are some suggestions for expanded Canada Post services on the internet:

1. A Greeting Card Website: Customers would have all kinds of templates and messages for greeting/holiday cards. These cards could be designed manually or with the help of a "card expert". The finished cards would then be delivered to the home address of the recipient.

2. Personal Resume Website: We all know how important it is to send the right resume to the right potential employers. This website would work closely with the federal Job Bank in matching suitable employees with suitable employers. Editing services would be available for customers writing resumes.

3. Development of Literacy and Writing Skills Website: The development of literacy has always been a Canada Post pet project. This project should be moved onto a website where children and adults can improve their literacy and  writing skills for blogs, Facebook and Twitter. The quality of writing on Facebook and Twitter could use some improvement.

4. A database for scholarships and grants in this country. Often, scholarships and grants go unclaimed by students because they don't know about them.

5. Cheap money transfers and exchange of money from one  currency to another. Banks are expensive in this regard".

6. Apps for the above websites should be created for mobile devices and a special Holiday app called "Canada Post's Christmas Elves" should be created to cover all of Canada Post Christmas products and services.

7. Secured Hard Copy Business Documents: With the help of Blackberry Corp., these documents could be sent through regular mail or secured e-mail.

8. A Better Source of Movies Than Netflix. For a cheap monthly subscription, first run movie can be sent to a customer's home or seen through "Canada Post's New Movie Portal". This is a service that Netflix doesn't offer.

A good start to 2014 would be a senior's discount on products and services. Seniors have supported Canada Post through good times and bad for many, many years. 

It takes more than number crunchers to run a dynamic profitable business. Imaginative management that are willing to take  calculated risks are needed too. 

For more more of my history in the Post Office and The Canadian Union of Postal Workers go to "CUPW Guy in CUPW Land".