The federal government is avoiding any criticism of Canada Post's strategy to eliminate delivery to five million homes over the next five years, says Hamilton East-Stoney Creek NDP MP Wayne Marston.

Marston said every time federal government ministers receive a complaint about the five-year plan, they shrug their shoulders and say Canada Post is "an arm's-length Crown corporation."

It's a response Marston said he received recently when he demanded to know why Canada Post was using "heavy-handed tactics" to decide where to locate the new super mailboxes in Stoney Creek.

"Canada Post shows up on their doorstep not to consult, but to tell them their lot has been chosen (for a community mailbox)," said Marston.

He said if there are questions or concerns, residents are directed to a 1-800 number, which states the decision for the mailbox is final.

"I've had calls from people in the east end of Stoney Creek about people knocking on their doors," said Marston. "They don't like being told (the end of home delivery) is a done deal. The Canada Post person then tells them to call their MP or local councillor."

Marston says the federal government is responsible for delivering mail to residents, and Canada Post is the vehicle.

"The Canadian government is responsible (for Canada Post)," he said. "But they choose to ignore it. That argument doesn't carry water."

In 2015, Canada Post expects to phase out one million homes from receiving home delivery. About 36,500 homes on the Mountain and Stoney Creek are scheduled to have their door-to-door mail delivery cut by the spring. The decision will mean Canada will be the only G8 country without home delivery.

Those homeowners were notified by Canada Post in October regarding the status of the move. In Hamilton, mail will be delivered to the community boxes beginning in the spring or summer.

A Canada Post spokesperson could not be reached for comment, but in an earlier interview, Anick Losier said Canada Post has used community mailboxes for 30 years, and they have been working with municipalities on the best places to locate them for residents.

Community mailboxes have typically been installed during construction of new residential subdivisions. Now the Crown corporation will be looking at retrofitting long-standing neighbourhoods with mailboxes, she said.

Canada Post officials have met with Hamilton Mountain and Stoney Creek politicians about their plans to cancel home delivery and install community mailboxes. It's an idea that continues to be opposed by all Hamilton councillors.

"There are all kinds of different issues about it," said Mountain councillor Scott Duvall.

Duvall met with Canada Post officials during the summer and expressed his opposition to the community boxes. He even proposed suggestions to the officials about the mailboxes, but he said they didn't accept his proposals.

He said the community mailboxes make it unsafe for seniors and the physically challenged, especially during bad weather and at night; they create garbage, which forces the municipality to incur further costs, such as cleaning up the surrounding area.

"People are very upset," said Duvall. "Canada Post is not listening to the public."

Earlier this year, Hamilton councillors approved a motion to have city staff take a look at the city's options, including investigating any legal precedents on how to prevent Canada Post from installing the mailboxes.

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The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) launched a legal action against Canadian Post in court arguing eliminating home delivery violates the Charter of Rights and Freedom.

Canada Post has argued it can place the community mailboxes on a four-foot easement it has within municipality's jurisdiction. Hamilton's report, expected early this year, is also expected to address that legal claim by the Crown corporation.

When Canada Post announced its five-year plan in December 2011, it cited financial problems. The corporation lost about $29 million in 2013, and another $83 million in 2012 as mail volume continued to slide. Canada Post moved 1.2 billion piece of mail, about 30 per cent less than it did in 2006. Yet its parcel service and direct marketing operations continue to grow.