Temelkovski's motion passed unanimously in the House
By Bill Rea

Even Oak Ridges -Markham MP Lui Temelkovski admitted to being surprised at how successful his private member's motion was last Wednesday.

His motion, calling on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Minister Lawrence Cannon to use his power to direct Canada Post to maintain the traditional delivery practices in rural areas, while protecting public safety for rural residents who have to collect their mail some distance from their homes, didn't even come to a recorded vote in the House of Commons. It didn't have to, after it became obvious none of the assembled MPs, including Temelkovski and Peter Van Loan of York - Simcoe, were going to vote against it.

"Mr. Speaker, I know this is a bit unusual with a private member's motion, but with the indulgence of the honourable member for Oak Ridges-Markham, I think that with his consent and the unanimous consent of the members present this evening, if you were to seek it, you would find that there is unanimous consent," remarked Chief Government Whip Jay Hill. A subsequent voice vote indicated all were on side, and the motion was quickly passed, with Temelkovski receiving a standing ovation from many in the House.

"This is a historic occasion," Temelkovski declared the following day, adding he's been trying to find out just how common it is for private member's motions to get through unanimously.

He added he learned what Hill had in mind shortly before he spoke. Hill had sent him a note, wondering if he was fine with that.

"I would take unanimous any time," he said.

"MPs from all sides have voted to defend a vital service unique to the identity of thousands of rural Canadians," said Temelkovski. "Rural Canadians can be assured that their rural mail concerns have been heard loud and clear by the House of Commons and the government must now act."

"Now it's up to the minister to communicate this to Canada Post and let them know the will of the House to maintain the rural mail delivery," he commented. "They've got to find out ways to do that."

He added the result of the vote puts enormous pressure on the government to take action on this file to ensure that rural Canadians have their mail box delivery maintained.

"Lack of government action on this file caused this motion to come before the House in the first place," stated Temelkovski. "I will continue to monitor the situation and ensure the minister takes action now that the House of Commons has spoken decisively."

He added some action is doable, "if the will is there."

Certain residents in various parts of King and elsewhere in the riding abruptly had their private delivery cut off earlier this year, with mail being left in group mail boxes. This change was the result of a decision by Human Resources Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) that found safety concerns for employees delivering rural mail from the Newmarket postal station. There have been similar situations reported in other parts of the country.

He added there will likely be more safety concerns raised in the days to come. Canada Post will have to deal with them, while finding ways to improve rural delivery. "They'll have to spend some money and go through some education of their carriers," he commented.

There had been suggestions from Conservative MPs, includ ing Van Loan, that it was the former Liberal government that created this situation when it made the private contract rural carriers employees of the Crown corporation, thus making them member of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, but Temelkovski defended the move.

"I think it was the right decision," he said. "Rather than having people deliver the mail who were not employees of the Crown."

He added the health issues didn't just develop when these people joined the union. They must have been there before.

"To blame the Liberals, I think, doesn't hold any water any more," he remarked.