MONTREAL - Canada Post is in the business of sending letters out but it is now receiving missives of complaint after a popular NDG letter carrier was fired for trying to do too much to help.
Sylvain Carbonneau was fired after signing for a package with that person’s written permission.
“I left a parcel for my customer on her porch,” explained Carbonneau. “I have a letter from her that she agreed that I do that because I know her and she doesn't have time to go to the sub-office to pick it up.”
The procedure might be considered helpful but Canada Post brass considered it a firing offense.
A Canada Post representative offered this explanation for letting Carbonneau go:
"Canada Post does not make such decisions lightly. They are a last recourse only and a result of serious actions. Mr. Carbonneau has an appeal process he can turn to and we fully intend to continue the dialogue via those processes."
Carbonneau's customers are shocked and upset and have complained about the loss of their beloved mailman.
“He was very good and I don't know why they did that,” said resident. Andree Lachapelle.
When Jo Morrissey recently moved to NDG, her new neighbourbours told her about their special mailman.
“They told me he was very friendly. He saw me as a new face, he welcomed me to the neighbourhood and he was very pleasant. A very nice man,” she said.
Carbonneau is going through arbitration to try and get his job back but he has not enjoyed the experience.
“It's humiliating, I think. They're acting like it was a crime or something,” he said.
