Canada Post has a long tradition of service in Port Arthur, opening its first post office on Water Street in 1882. But early this year, the last postal outlet was closed – leaving our downtown stranded. Residents and businesspeople alike have to hike up the hill to the Grandview Mall, or travel all the way down to the Intercity just to get basic postal services. Many local residents are mobility impaired, don’t have cars, or have to mail large packages too cumbersome to take on the bus. We want a post office back. Canada Post has a responsibility to provide affordable, universal postal service to all Canadians. According to the Canada Post Strategic Review Panel, it should “contribute to Canada’s social cohesion and economic prosperity objectives by giving Canadians the capacity to keep in touch and do business with each other and their governments in a timely, accessible and inexpensive manner.” This includes a responsibility to provide adequate postal outlets and post offices so that services are indeed, accessible and inexpensive. Join the campaign to call on Canada Post, and Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (the Minister Responsible for Canada Post) to return adequate postal service to downtown Port Arthur. Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following: Whereas the residents and businesses of downtown Port Arthur have not had a local Canada Post outlet or post office for many months, and are forced to travel significant distance to get postal service; Whereas this travel incurs significant time and financial expense for the businesses and residents of Thunder Bay’s north core; And whereas downtown Port Arthur has had a post office since 1882 but has now lost postal services provided by a post office or outlet; Therefore, we respectfully call upon the Government of Canada to instruct Canada Post to immediately reopen a full service Canada Post outlet or post office in downtown Port Arthur, in Thunder Bay, Ontario.