The book addresses the most recent challenges faced by the postal and delivery sector. This book includes original essays by prominent researchers and practitioners in the field of postal and delivery economics, originally presented at the 28th Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics held online, December 1-5, 2020. Chapters discuss topics such as the sustainability of the universal service obligations (USO) quality of service, last mile solutions, competition in liberalized markets, data protection, environmental sustainability, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This book will be a useful tool not only for graduate students and professors interested in postal and regulatory economics, but also for postal administrations, consulting firms, and federal government departments.

In almost half the communities in small town and rural Canada that have a post office, there are no bank or credit union branches; Only about fifty-four bank and credit union branches exist in the over 615 First Nations communities in Canada; A growing number of urban areas in Canada have no accessible banks or credit unions Why Canada Needs Postal Banking offers a plethora of information about the banking industry that will shock ordinary Canadians. In explaining the banking system that many of us take for granted, the author reveals a deep, and largely unrecognized, gap between the services offered in densely populated, urban spaces and those available in small towns, rural and remote regions, and Indigenous communities. As a solution to this dearth in services, John Anderson proposes a logical alternative to big, private-sector banks: the post office. Basing his argument on historical fact, international experience, and the exorbitant cost of traditional banking services, the author builds a logical and compelling case for reestablishing banking services at Canada Post. Composed of a collection of research papers, interviews, and opinion pieces, Why Canada Needs Postal Banking provides convincing and well-organized data to support the reintroduction of postal service banking in Canada. Readers can absorb survey results that document citizen, municipality, and union support for this strategy. Tables and graphics provide easy access for those who want to assess the statistical facts and figures at a glance. Written in clear, succinct, and transparent language, Why Canada Needs Postal Banking engages the reader while delivering surprising information. In a landscape where challenges seem overwhelming much of the time, this book proposes a solution that, while not without its difficulties, is implementable. It delivers answers and alternatives that support business and individuals’ needs in different parts of the economy that have been, for too long and too often, overlooked.

When Postmaster General Creswell penned his concern about the impact 2 of electronic diversion on his postal organization, the year was 1872. General Creswell, it turned out, fretted unnecessarily. Facsimile did not achieve commercial viability until roughly a century after his tenure as Postmaster General and today that technology is fading rapidly from the communication scene. Moreover, it never appears to have significantly affected physical letter volumes. However, if General Creswell were leading a major postal organization today, he likely would feel threatened by the potential of Internet communication to cause electronic diversion of physical mail. Should recent technology developments cause the oft-predicted (but so far incorrect) inflection point that would mark the beginning of declining mail volumes. the implications from a management standpoint will be profound. The relatively fixed nature of postal costs suggest that volume declines must be offset though improved productivity, reduced cost of inputs, revenue from new products that share common costs, or reduced level of universal service.

The postal system is a multi-billion dollar industry and one of the world's largest employers. Until recently it has been controlled by government-owned monopolies designed to provide universal postal service. However, in response to technological and international competition as well as public disenchantment with subsidies and inefficiencies, governments have embraced a range of new strategies. The Politics of Postal Transformation investigates the most important policy innovations that have been instituted to match domestic political expectations with international and technological realities. Robert Campbell's comparative analysis provides recommendations for policy-makers around the world and lays the foundation for informed speculation about the possible future domination of the system by a select group of postal behemoths. Book jacket.

Report on Social Security for Canada, written in wartime, presented to Canadians a picture of a better life in the postwar world. It outlined what governments could do to ensure that all citizens could afford the food, clothing, and shelter necessary to participate fully in their community. Authored by Leonard Marsh for the wartime Federal Advisory Committee on Reconstruction, the report was the subject of enormous attention when it was presented to the House of Commons in March 1943. Drawing on the work of his mentor, William Beveridge, and of John Maynard Keynes, Marsh primarily recommended an employment program meant to ensure lower unemployment and higher incomes. His report also discussed family allowances to make certain that no child would go without, health care insurance, temporary assistance in case of illness, a pension plan, and various other social benefits related to maternity, disability, loss of employment, and death. Today Report on Social Security for Canada is seen as a foundational text for the Canadian social security system. In this edition Allan Moscovitch provides the historical context, an outline of Marsh’s accomplishments, and suggestions for how to enhance the welfare state and respond to the social needs of Canadians in the twenty-first century.