News Release

Councillor Says Canada Post Needs to Clean-Up Its Act

(Wednesday, September 6/06)-- Councillor Debbie Hum says she has had enough! She wants Canada Post to clean- up its act, and immediately remove graffiti from its mailboxes.

Councillor Hum says she has been trying for two years to get Canada Post to remove graffiti from mailboxes located primarily in residential neighbourhoods, as well as commercial areas, in her District-- but with no success.

The District 16 Councillor says “It’s not just in my District, the problem is wide-spread throughout much of HRM. It’s time for Canada Post to be more responsible and become a good, community-minded corporate citizen. So far, they’ve been uncooperative, as far as removing graffiti from its property is concerned, particularly the mailboxes. It is extremely frustrating."

Councillor Hum has been proactive on the issue of graffiti removal. She’s tried to raise public awareness, and has been working with numerous HRM officials, including the Community Response Team, Chief Administrative Office staff, Public Works, and Halifax Regional Police.

Also, she said she is receiving tremendous support from Gary O'Hara, Chair of the Halifax Regional School Board, and senior officials, school administrators, and senior officials with Aliant.

Councillor Hum previously contributed money out of the District 16 Capital Fund to have murals painted on some Aliant telecommunication cabinets, and as a result, Aliant is now actively engaged in the mural program.

"Aliant officials and I have developed a very good relationship, ever since I brought forward concerns about graffiti on telecommunication cabinets to Regional Council and to staff,” she said. “The company has responded as good corporate citizen and they should be commended for their action.”

Councillor Hum says developing partnerships with corporate and community stakeholder groups is the way to go. "I've always believed in working with a team approach, and addressing the graffiti problem in my District, and throughout HRM, is no different."

However, she says those efforts are being thwarted by Canada Post's unwillingness to remove graffiti from its mailboxes. ( Also, as a federal corporation, Canada Post is not required to obtain an HRM permit to place its mailboxes in the municipal right-of-way).

Councillor Hum says she remains "cautiously optimistic" that Canada Post will recognize the importance of working with the community as a valuable stakeholder, and respond to the public call to take immediate action to remove graffiti from its property.

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Councillor Debbie Hum
District 16 (Rockingham-Wentworth)
476-7212