(Ottawa) The future of public postal services needs to be decided in public, not in the secret world of international trade disputes said the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) today at a press conference.

In an effort to ensure that the public has some input, the Council and CUPW have filed a petition for standing in an investor-state claim that was filed by UPS earlier this year under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).*

"This is a demand of last resort," said Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. "The public and postal workers have no other avenue to be heard in this discussion. These talks are held in secret. Only when the decision has been reached are Canadians informed of the results."

"If UPS is successful with its claim, Canada Post will have less money to service costly rural areas," said CUPW Vice-President Deborah Bourque. "And UPS is only interested in doing business in lucrative urban areas."

Preliminary discussions between UPS and Canada are expected to commence within the next few days. The NAFTA panel will be chaired by Sir Kenneth Keith from New Zealand. It is expected that initial negotiations will focus on whether Canada and UPS will settle the claim rather than go through the hearing process.

"CUPW suspects that UPS wants a settlement that gives it access to Canada Post's network of mailboxes and offices so that it can increase its share of urban markets." said Bourque. "If Canada chooses to settle, then once again Canadians will be denied a voice in a very important public policy debate about the future of national services in Canada," said Barlow.

In addition to petitioning for standing, the Council and CUPW are launching a postcard campaign against UPS with the slogan "Hands off my mail." The postcard encourages Canadians to tell UPS that public postal service is too important to be undermined by a courier company that puts profits before service.

*Steve Shrybman, counsel for the CUPW and The Council of Canadians will be available at the press conference.

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