On January 16, representatives of the Canadian Community Newspapers Association (CCNA) were in Ottawa for a meeting with Canada Post Corporation (CPC) over issues surrounding inserts in Unaddressed Admail product in rural Canada.
CCNA Distribution Committee Chairman Fred Heidman, CCNA Executive Director John Hinds and CCNA Managing Director Tina Ongkeko met with Jos├®e Bergeron, director of Unaddressed Admail for Canada Post. Hinds said the meeting prompted a ÔÇ£good discussionÔÇØ for both sides, leaving him confident that Canada Post understood concerns CCNA members have over recent changes.
On January 8, CCNA’s Distribution Committee met to discuss Canada Post’s amendment for preparing inserts. The amendment states that “an insert placed in a newspaper, magazine or catalogue must be firmly attached or folded into the mailing piece, in order to become an integral part of the mailing piece and not become separated during normal handling.” Prior to the Janaury 12 start date, CCNA members expressed a number of concerns to CCNA staff.
Hinds is optimistic Canada Post will examine what CCNA presented at the January 16 meeting and the two sides will discuss the issue further in a follow-up discussion set for next week.
ÔÇ£Canada Post does understand the concerns of our members,ÔÇØ said Hinds.
CCNA and Canada Post have had successful discussions in the past. The two organizations had a very successful dialogue surrounding Publications Mail, which led to the community newspaper industry not being impacted by Canada Post changes.
If any CCNA member is currently facing difficulties due to new Admail restrictions, please contact either John Hinds (Phone: 1-877-305-2262 ext. 26; E-mail: jhinds@ccna.ca), or Tina Ongkeko (Phone: 1-877-305-2262 ext. 25; E-mail: tongkeko@ccna.ca). Canada Post has offered to intervene on a case-by-case basis with local postmasters.