Why the Calls to Privatize Canada Post Are Growing Louder
Calls for the privatization of Canada Post are growing—and for good reason. At the center of the controversy is the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), which continues to push for demands that many see as incompatible with a modern, efficient, and competitive postal system.
Canada Post, as a Crown corporation, holds a monopoly under the justification that it serves the public good. However, it’s becoming increasingly clear that CUPW’s interests are not always aligned with that public mission. In fact, recent labor disputes have highlighted how the union’s priorities can conflict with the broader economic needs of Canadian businesses and taxpayers.
CUPW’s Real Goal: A Permanent Bailout Pipeline?
From the outside, it appears CUPW is positioning Canada Post to operate more like the CBC—a publicly funded institution with guaranteed financial backing, regardless of performance or public satisfaction. If CUPW wants perpetual bailouts and federal arbitration on demand, then Canada Post should be subjected to public accountability, just as the CBC is part of the national political discussion during election cycles.
When Canadians voted for Mark Carney’s government, they essentially endorsed continued funding for the CBC. Should CUPW succeed in pushing Canada Post down a similar path, taxpayers deserve the same level of input and transparency.
Public Service vs. Union Power
It’s important to remember: Canada Post is not a private company. It exists as a monopoly because of its public service mandate. That mandate is now being tested. If Crown corporations like Canada Post start serving union agendas instead of the public, the rationale for keeping them public begins to collapse.
CUPW’s ongoing narrative that Canada Post is somehow being privatized already is misleading and manipulative. If Canada Post were a private business, it would likely have gone bankrupt long ago. No private company could sustain CUPW’s demands without collapsing under the weight of inefficiency and bloated costs.
It’s Time for a Public Conversation
The public has a right to ask whether Canada Post, in its current form, is still serving its original purpose—or whether it’s becoming just another institution sustained by taxpayer dollars but operated without taxpayer input.
If Canada Post continues to act more like a union stronghold than a public service provider, then it’s only fair that privatization be put on the table. At the very least, Canadians deserve a clear voice in shaping its future.