Karl's going postal

Get ready, Karl's going to crap on the postal system in Canada today.

You know, we pay a lot for our postal system. Our stamps cost $0.52 for basic lettermail. Our parcel shipping prices are among the highest in the world. It actually (based on experience) costs less to mail a parcel to the US than it does to mail a parcel across Canada. Canada Post has introduced several initiatives to improve the efficiency of their delivery service (but not the effectiveness) by rolling out such measures as community mail boxes. That forces you to go to a central collection of mailboxes in your neighbourhood to get your mail. This is absolutely awesome for seniors and disabled folks.

Now, I understand that Canada Post delivers to a larger area than the postal service of any other nation. But I still expect that by paying a higher price than other countries, we could get as good or better service. Yeah, who am I kidding, eh? I guess the biggest issue I have with Canada Post is their delivery standards. We do a lot of business by mail and have seen or heard the Canada Post mail truck (which delivers parcels only) pull up, come to the door, put a 'you weren't home so bring this notice card to the nearest postal outlet to get your parcel' thing on the door knob, then drive away without even ringing the doorbell. Meanwhile we were here the entire time and realize that it will be up to a full day before we can access the parcel at the outlet, because they don't take your parcel right to the outlet in the next few hours - oh no. Other times, we've heard the doorbell ring, but by the time we get to the door (12 seconds, give or take), the Postie's already back in the truck and sped off. Would it hurt you to wait another 5 seconds? Would it hurt you to cast one last cursory glance at our door to notice that - SURPRISE! - we're actually here?

Then we get to the postal outlet. That's an adventure all by itself. Postal outlets typically are set up in drug stores and the like. They are not run by postal workers, they're run by retail store-folk, who have received training in postal methods. As a result, the outlets operate (how can I put this mildly)..... as best as the employee was trained and service is as best as can be expected from someone who probably makes just above minimum wage and whose first language may or may not be English. But it goes beyond that. The outlets are open 8am to 8pm, which is great if you don't have a daytime job. But like clockwork, at 5pm, all the people with daytime jobs show up to get their mailing done and that's exactly when the number of people working the postal outlet counter drops from two or three to one person. Perfect timing. Now you'll be waiting in line for 20+ minutes while grandmom argues with the poor person behind the counter that they're insane if they expect her to pay $35 to get little Johnny's package to him within 48 hours. Where's she supposed to get that kind of money to mail a parcel? She's not made of money dammit!