Canada Post has 'fiasco' on its hands, says St. John's mayor

The mayor of St. John's says Canada Post is in a bad situationafter the crown corporationannounced it is halting the community mailbox program.

• Canada Post halts controversial community mailbox program
• Canada Post looking for resolution with Mount Pearl woman
• Mount Pearl woman furious with Canada Post's use of her property

"I think the announcement was half good. I think Canada Post now has a little bit of a fiasco on their hands," Dennis O'Keefe said Tuesday.

O'Keefe said Canada Post's decision to move ahead with the cuts to home mail delivery, despite a pending federal election where two parties disagreed with the move, was a bad decision.

"Had they been prudent, they would have waited until after the federal election and then they would have made a decision on implementation based upon the new government," he said.

I think Canada Post now has a little bit of a fiasco on their hands.- Dennis O'Keefe

"They didn't. They went full steam ahead. They put these boxes in the City of St. John's despite the fact that we were adamantly opposed to it."

O'Keefe, who received the keys to his new community mailbox on Monday,said he's hopeful Canada Post will now look at removing the boxes.

"Either Canada Post can bite the bullet right now and start the removal of these boxes which I doubt they will do or they can await a directive from the new government of Canada asking them to restore the service that they robbed from Canadians," the mayorsaid.

'They didn't have the authority'

Meanwhile, ahomeowner in Mount Pearl says she's won her fight against Canada Post, after the corporation tore up part of her lawn last week to make way for a new community mailbox.

"Canada Post has apologized for doing all this without my knowledge or consent," said Jo-Anne Lyver.

"They've agreed they didn't have the authority to do that, they don't have the authority to encroach on my property."

Lyver said in addition to an apology, Canada Post will be providing her proof that the new community mailbox won't infringe on her land.

But dealing with several of the corporation's officials has left Lyver shaken.

"They've been very intimidating, bullying.It's not been a good experience. I've been very sick from all this," Lyver told The St. John's Morning Show.

Know your rights

Lyver said she's always had a community mailbox on her propertysince moving there11 years ago.

But she drew the line at the installation of another one without her permission, and said other homeowners should take note of her victory.

"If you're a landowner, you need to check into what the easement is;what it means. Everybody's is different," shesaid.

"I'm just floored how many people don't know the rights to their own land."

Suspension ofsuper mailboxes

Late Monday, Canada Post announced the conversion of door-to-door delivery to community mailboxes was on hold.

While Lyver will continue to use a community mailbox, she applauded the move.

"I think it's great. I think more Canadians should receive home delivery service," said Lyver.

Craig Dyer is the president of the St. John's branch of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, and was out delivering mail when the news came out.

"It's a time to celebrate," said Dyer."We're still looking for answers, we're still looking for direction, but it's a huge relief."

Dyer lamented the timing of the announcement, which he said came the same day that community mailbox conversion took place in St. John's, which resulted in the layoff of38 workers.

"Now there's hope that we can probably recoup some of those jobs back, and probably even create some in our community."

Dyer said he will be looking for more updates from hisunionand the corporation in the coming days.