Halifax –
Community leaders in Northern Canada say the postal strike is starting to choke off the supply of some necessities and could mean children in more remote regions don’t receive Christmas gifts this year.
Barry Andersen, the angajukKâk — or mayor — of Makkovik, says communities in northern Labrador depend on Canada Post for most of their packages, including some medications and supplies of children’s diapers, as there are no courier services.
He says to send small parcels by airplane from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, N.L., to his northern community often costs more than the price of the Christmas gift inside, and the ferry service to Makkovik will soon end for the season.
Natan Obed, the president of an organization representing 70,000 Inuit, says every day the strike continues adds to the hardship in remote communities, as pension cheques haven’t reached elders and in some cases people have had to fly south …