BC FORUM News - from The Advocate, October, 2014

Sheesh, what’s next? Now Canada Post
wants a note from your doctor

Canada Post has announced it will require medical notes from seniors and others who need to retain door-to-door mail delivery

By Marion Pollack Board Member, BC FORUM

Take two aspirin, keep door-to-door mail delivery, and call me in the morning.”

When I went to elementary school I was required to bring a note from my parents when I missed classes for any reason.

During my working years I often had to bring a medical note to cover certain absences.

I thought during my retirement that I would finally be free of note producing requirements.

However, this belief was overturned by Canada Post’s latest announcement that in order to retain door to door mail delivery I will again be required to obtain a medical note attesting to age and infirmity.

Canada Post’s decision to require medical notes from seniors and people with disabilities if they want to retain home mail delivery is wrong on many levels.

Here is a short and incomplete list of reasons why this odious idea should be scrapped:

1. It treats seniors and people with disabilities as people whose word cannot be trusted, and who need expert opinions to confirm our reality.

2. It puts more pressure on our medical system. We should go to the doctor when we are ill, when we need medical advice, and when we need to improve our health. We should not go to the doctor to get a note saying we need door-to-door mail delivery.

The president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) Louis Francescutti said this request will needlessly expose seniors and people with disabilities to other sick patients. He called this decision irresponsible and said it was made without any consultation with the CMA.

3. It will cost seniors and people with disabilities money. Getting medical notes in order to keep door to door mail delivery is not an insured service under the Canada Health Act. As a result we will have to pay out of pocket for the cost of obtaining these notes.

4. It is an invasion of our privacy. Who is going to assess these notes? How will they be stored? Who will have access to them? None of this has been properly thought out.

5. Canada Post has said that the provision of medical notes attesting to the fact that a senior cannot access a Community Mail box and needs to keep their door to door mail delivery does not guarantee anything.

They have said that one course of action may be giving a senior’s community mail box keys to families or neighbours. This is highly problematic on so many levels.

6. Seniors and people with disabilities, and everyone else deserve door to door mail delivery.

There is one simple solution to this. Canada Post should scrap its plan to end door-to-door delivery!