Letter carriers refuse to deliver graphic anti-abortion flyers

Some Canada Post letter carriers are refusing to deliver graphic anti-abortion flyers that also target Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.

The flyers were originally handdistributed by members of an organization calledthe Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR).

The pamphlets, with graphic images of fetuses from an abortion,made their rounds in the city in June and were meant to target the pro-choice stance of Trudeau, who is nowon the campaign trail following Sunday's October election call.

• Complaints raised about graphic anti-abortion flyers

This time, instead of being delivered by members of the CCBR, the flyers are slipped into white, unsealed envelopes and delivered through Canada Post.

"Most of the letter carriers that I've heard from [whoare] from the union office are horrified," said Julee Sanderson, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in Saskatoon.

"They don't want to be subjected to the public scrutiny by delivering a flyer that obviously is a political flyer made to shock people," she added. "A lot of them feel as though Canada Post should not be engaging in this type of delivery."

We are responsible for the physical delivery of all mail in Canada.- Matt Ziebarth, Canada Postdelivery manager in Saskatoon

However, a Canada Post spokesman in Saskatoon said in a statement that it has no place in deciding what type of mail does or doesn't get delivered.

"We are responsible for the physical delivery of all mail in Canada," saidMatt Ziebarth, delivery manager inSaskatoon."We do not have the legal right to refuse delivery of a mail item because we or other people object to its content. Anyone who has concerns about the content should either contact the publisher or simply dispose of it."

Sanderson contacted the manager of delivery operations for Canada Post and expressed her concerns on behalf of her colleagues, who are responsible for putting the flyers in mailboxes.

"We have keys to enter buildings, to put mail into mailboxes, or community mailboxes that other organizations or flyer delivery companies don't have access to, and [receiving these kinds of flyers] is not a consumer's choice," said Sanderson.

Someletter carriers have already refused to deliver the flyers, CBC News has been told.

Sanderson said if the post office chooses to go after those employees, they could face anything from a three- to five-day suspension.

Refusal to deliver the flyers could be considered a major misconduct and resultin a suspension without pay, Sanderson said.

On Wednesday, four employeesfrom the west Canada Post depot in Saskatoonrefused to distribute the anti-abortion andanti-Liberal party flyersfrom the Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform's national office in Ottawa.

Their supervisor initially told them to go home, then changed his mind and said they could work Thursday, Sanderson said.

If they refuse to distribute the flyers on Friday,Canada Post has said itwouldtake action, Sandersonsaid.

There are about 200 Canada Postmail carriers in Saskatoon. Only one depot with 30 employees has received the shipment of flyers,butit's expected more will come to the other depots in coming days, Sanderson said.