Crown Corporation and special operating agencies: Committee of the Whole—August 12, 2020

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Canada Post: Health and safety

Context

Canada Post continues to provide a vital service to Canadians under difficult circumstances, with employees continuing to operate in the field delivering parcels. Canada Post announced on March 19, 2020 that they are doing everything possible to continue its service while keeping the health and safety of its staff as its number one priority.

Suggested response

Canada Post is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, and is taking steps to help keep its employees and the communities it serves safe, while following the guidance of the Public Health Agency of Canada
We are working closely with Canada Post, and Canada Post is working closely with its unions, in order to ensure employees and the public are protected
As the situation with the coronavirus evolves, the health and safety of employees and the Canadians they serve takes the highest priority while Canada Post takes steps to continue delivering the service Canadians rely on

If pressed on health and safety:

Canada Post is taking action to protect employees and customers, including:
- enhanced cleaning in all of its facilities and extra safety supplies for employees and staggered shifts which minimize everyone arriving at work and having their breaks at the same time. This also allows for enhanced physical distancing in the workplace
- priority service at its retail post offices to those at a higher risk, such as seniors, during the first hour of each day
- installing signage and floor decals to encourage physical distancing, limiting the number of customers in smaller offices, and installing clear barriers at the counter to increase safety
- suspending its normal 15-day hold period and asking that customers who are ill or self-isolating delay their visit and pick up their parcel only when it’s safe to do so
- implemented a new process called “Knock, Drop and Go” to minimize contact with the delivery agent by eliminating signatures at the door

If pressed on volume and delays:

Canada Post has been experiencing sustained, high volumes during this pandemic
the employees of Canada Post are working hard to ensure deliveries continue to reach Canadians during this crisis, and we value their dedication

If pressed on distribution of the Epoch Times:

the government is aware of concerns expressed regarding the content of the current edition of this publication, and the requests to have Canada Post stop distributing it
as Minister responsible for Canada Post, I have the authority to prevent the distribution of material through Canada Post if it relates to a criminal offence
we take these concerns very seriously. We will await further assessment and take appropriate action as required

If pressed on obligations:

Canada Post has a legal obligation under the Canada Post Corporation Act to accept all neighbourhood mail for delivery subject to the regulations on non-mailable matter
decisions made by Canada Post to deliver or refuse delivery of neighbourhood mail are subject to the Canadian Charter of Right and Freedoms
after an initial legal assessment of this material, it does not appear to meet the required criteria for prohibiting distribution. However, further assessment is ongoing

Background

On March 19, 2020, Canada Post released a letter stating its number one priority is the health and safety of its employees. They encouraged employees who can work from home to do so. However, the majority of its employees are in the field delivering packages.

Canada Post has eliminated the need for customers to sign for parcels at the door to minimize personal contact. It has also suspended normal delivery guarantees for its parcel services as delivering safely without overburdening its employees requires more time.

Canada Post has been experiencing “Christmas level” volumes during this pandemic. For example, on Monday April 20, they delivered more than 1.8 million parcels to Canadians. That is similar to the biggest delivery days during the Christmas season. Canada Post has introduced several measures to encourage physical distancing and limit contact during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a “Knock, Drop and Go” approach for parcel delivery. This change eliminates the need for signatures at the door, speeds up delivery and has greatly reduced the number of parcels sent to post offices for pickup. Items that require signatures due to proof of age will be required to be picked up at the retail counter in a more controlled environment, where physical distancing can be accommodated.

Canada Post Corporation 2020 first quarter report

Context

On May 25, 2020, Canada Post Corporation released its 2020 first quarter (Q1) results and recorded a loss before tax of $66 million.

Suggested response

Canada Post is a Crown Corporation that operates at arm’s length from the government
Existing declines in transaction mail and direct marketing contributed to a loss in the first quarter, and these declines were further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
Canada Post continues to provide an essential service while keeping employees safe, and remains the country’s leader in e-commerce delivery

If pressed on the $66 million recorded loss before taxes:

Canada Post continues to see increased parcel revenue and volumes
increases in costs were mainly due to higher labour and employee benefits, and increased collection, processing and delivery costs from parcels growth

Background

COVID-19 disruption

With parcel volumes rapidly increasing and transaction mail and direct marketing volumes quickly decreasing, COVID-19 is expected to have a larger impact on the business in the second quarter.

Key results for the Canada Post segment in first quarter 2020 compared to first quarter 2019

Parcels results

Volumes increased by 4 million pieces or 6.1% in Q1 2020
Revenue increased by $53 million or 10.4%
The growth rate for parcels in Q1 was larger than in the same period of 2019, but remained lower than the growth rate in Q1 2018

Transaction mail results

Volumes fell by 30 million pieces or 2.2%
Revenue decreased by $16 million or 0.6%
Ongoing erosion accelerated toward the end of Q1 as many businesses began operating on an online-only basis due to COVID-19

Direct marketing results

Volumes decreased by 126 million pieces or 10.5%
Revenue decreased by $26 million or 8.6%
Declines in direct marketing revenue and volumes were larger than in the first quarter of 2019 due to COVID-19, as marketing campaigns were delayed or cancelled near the end of the quarter

Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement impact on Canada Post

Context

The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) trade agreement entered into force July 1, 2020.The agreement raises duty-free limits for private couriers and not Canada Post.

Note

All questions relating to the design and composition of CUSMA should be directed to the minister of Foreign Affairs.

Suggested response

Canada Post is committed to providing high-quality postal services to Canadians at a reasonable price
As an arm’s length Crown Corporation, Canada Post collects all duties and taxes on postal items inbound for Canada as determined by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
Canada Post mail items are processed through the postal clearance process; as a result, new tax and duty free limits set in the CUSMA trade agreement will not apply
Imported shipments under $20 sent via Canada Post will continue to be exempted from the assessment of applicable taxes and duties

Background

Currently, the regulations applicable to both the postal and low value courier stream exempts imported shipments under $20 from the assessment of applicable taxes and duties.

CUSMA increases Canada’s tax and duty free limits for products sent from the United States and Mexico, from $20 to $40 (tax) and $150 (duty). CUSMA limits apply to product accessing the courier low value shipment (CLVS) clearance process, a system used by private sector couriers such as United Parcel Service (UPS), FedEx and Purolator and other consolidators sending product cross border.

Canada Post and the United States Postal Service do not use the CLVS stream for product. Postal items are processed through the postal clearance process; as a result, limits set in the new agreement will not apply.

Canada Post collects all duties and taxes on inbound items as determined by CBSA.

Canada Post Corporation: Arbitration ruling

Context

On June 11, 2020, an arbitration ruling was issued for 2 disputes involving Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). This ruling will serve as the basis for new collective agreements between the 2 parties.

Suggested response

Canada Post continues to provide a vital service to Canadians under difficult circumstances
Canada Post has informed personnel that the arbitrator decision includes wage increases for employees represented by both bargaining units of the CUPW
The 2 new collective agreements are now 4 years in length, meaning they are in effect until December 31, 2021 and January 31, 2022
This closes this round of collective bargaining for rural and suburban mail carriers as well as urban operations employees. We hope the new agreements provide the basis for the development of a collaborative working relationship between the parties as they move forward

If pressed on wage increases:

both bargaining units of CUPW will see wage increases. Wages will increase by:
- 2.0% effective February 1, 2018
- 2.0% effective February 1, 2019
- 2.5% effective February 1, 2020
- 2.9% effective February 1, 2021

Background

On December 10, 2018, an arbitrator was appointed to carry out the functions and duties assigned by the Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act, which was enacted to resolve 2 disputes involving Canada Post Corporation and the CUPW.

The arbitration process has been lengthy due to difficulties in scheduling a sufficient number of hearing dates to allow each party to fully present its case, but hearings concluded on May 6, 2020.

On June 11, 2020, the mediator-arbitrator provided her report to the Minister of Labour.

Translation Bureau virtual capacity

Context

The Translation Bureau (TB) continues to work with the house administration and all partners to support Parliament’s virtual sittings.

Suggested response

The government is committed to providing essential translation and interpretation services to parliamentarians and Canadians
We are working with house administration and all our partners to support Parliament’s virtual sittings
Ensuring the health and safety of interpreters is a priority for the Government of Canada
Guidelines have been developed to establish optimal conditions so that interpreters can provide high-quality service in a safe environment

If pressed on capacity:

we currently have the capacity to continue serving Parliament and the Government of Canada
the Translation Bureau currently has approximately 150 official languages interpreters available to meet the needs of Parliament
as we are facing an unprecedented volume of interpretation requests, we are working with clients to plan and monitor demand carefully, leveraging contracts where appropriate

Background

Since the beginning of the pandemic, TB has worked closely with the house administration in the implementation of virtual committee sittings.

TB’s operations have been altered to respond to parliamentary needs. Conditions have improved over time and the collaboration continues in order to find a sustainable solution to reduce the risk of interpretation service interruptions due to the technology used by remote participants.

Certain criteria must be met in order for remote interpretation to work. These include the following:

all participants must wear a headset with a microphone to ensure clear sound quality
participants must appear via videoconference so that the interpreter can see their facial expressions and clearly communicate the tone of their message
participants must strictly adhere to the rules for speaking, and must wait their turn to speak
a technician must be in the room with the interpreters at all times to address any technical issues
the audio feed for the interpretation consoles must have limiters or compressors to prevent acoustic shock
interpreters must be able to do sound checks with the technician and participants before each meeting begins
as always, participants who plan to read written statements must provide them in advance to interpreters

These criteria are needed to establish optimal conditions so that interpreters can provide high-quality service in a safe environment. Abiding by these criteria will not completely eliminate the risk of interpretation service interruptions due to the technology used by remote participants, but it will greatly reduce this risk and help ensure the best possible interpretation.

Translation Bureau health and safety

With the increased use of videoconferences, there has been an increase in incident reports from interpreters, including headaches, earaches and fatigue due to poor sound quality.

TB has provided its interpreters with headsets with sound limiters to protect against acoustic shock and implemented a series of hygiene and physical distancing measures. In addition, the bureau requires its clients to take technical measures that promote not only the health of its interpreters but also high-quality interpretation. These include having a qualified audiovisual technician present at all times, remote participants’ use of good quality headsets with built-in microphones and good quality internet connections, and the provision of documents to interpreters in advance of meetings.

TB’s approach aligns very closely to international best practices, including the International Association of Conference Interpreters principles, guidance for institutions and best practices.

Translation Bureau quality measures

Context

The Translation Bureau (TB) has recently received an exceptionally large volume of requests with very tight deadlines. TB has a Quality Evaluation Framework in place to ensure the quality of its translation and interpretation services.

Suggested response

The government is committed to promoting official languages and upholding the spirit of the Official Languages Act while serving Canadians
We are committed to providing quality linguistic services in support of our democratic institutions
TB continues to modernize its tools and processes in order to provide faster, higher quality and cost-efficient linguistic services

If pressed on the quality of translations:

TB has a stringent quality assurance process in place
when faced with an exceptionally large volume of requests and very tight deadlines, a full quality review might not be possible
we are committed to reviewing any translations that may not be fully satisfactory to the client
my department continues to work with clients to plan and monitor demand carefully, leveraging contracts where appropriate

Background

Public Services and Procurement Canada’s TB has made significant strides towards ensuring linguistic quality. A Quality Evaluation Framework was developed for both translation and interpretation, and a stringent quality assurance process is in place.

TB has continued to provide its usual level of service to the Parliament of Canada, departments and the judiciary throughout the pandemic. All translation, interpretation and terminology services in official, foreign and Indigenous languages, as well as sign language interpretation and captioning services remain available according to the usual procedures.

Rideau Hall construction

Context

Media have reported on construction costs, and their associated studies for the official residence of the Governor General of Canada. The National Capital Commission (NCC) works with the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG) to implement building works at Rideau Hall.

Suggested response

The NCC recognizes the historic and symbolic importance of official residences and is committed to working with its partners to ensure that issues related to security, heritage preservation, sustainability, and accessibility are addressed
As an independent Crown Corporation led by its Board of Directors, the NCC planned, initiated and implemented the works and investments related to Rideau Hall
The NCC’s work at Rideau Hall is part of a broader program to preserve, maintain and restore all official residences under NCC management

Background

Since 1986 the buildings and grounds of Rideau Hall have been managed by the NCC, which is implementing a long-term rehabilitation project to ensure that the valuable heritage buildings on the estate remain in optimal condition.

A walkthrough visit with the governor general of the private quarters at Rideau Hall took place on October 4, 2017. The private quarters were prepared and made ready to accommodate the governor general as of March 2018.

In October 2018, the NCC re-initiated:

the expansion of central air conditioning that includes the rear rooms of the private quarters
at the request of the OSGG, the construction of a staircase from the private quarters to the garden

A fire safety study for the private quarters was also requested by the OSGG in March 2019.

Additionally, in June 2019, the NCC’s Board of Directors approved the “Rideau Hall Operations Zone—Service, Maintenance and Storage Garage Building” reconstruction project. The reconstruction project (replacing a number of smaller storage buildings) was scheduled to begin on July 2, 2019 and was delayed at the request of the OSGG.

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Date modified:: 2023-10-20