Today, Canada Post is upping the cost to send a letter. This - despite already dissatisfied customers, upset posties, and general frustration over the once mighty institution.

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PART THREE

Filial Responsibility - Panel (cont'd)

In our last half-hour, we were talking about the laws that almost every province has on the books, which allow a parent to sue his or her children for financial support. A few years ago, Alberta became the first province to repeal its law. Now British Columbia is considering doing the same. And it has opened up a debate about who should be responsible for caring for an elderly parent.

Judith Wahl is a lawyer and the Executive Director of the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly. She was in Toronto. And Nick Bala teaches Family Law at Queen's University. He has been reviewing the status of these laws for a chapter in an upcoming book. He was in Kingston, Ontario.

Postal Stamp Increase - Bob Tyre

Well, if you sit down and write a letter today... you'd better have the right postage.
As of this morning, it's going to cost you a bit more. The price of a stamp for letters within Canada is up by two cents. And letters going to the United States are up by three cents. It might not seem like much to some... but for others... it may be the tipping point. That's because the price hike comes at a time when many Canadians are angry about the service. And they may be wondering if they're getting the best bang for their now 59 cent stamp. Steve White lives in Chatham, Ontario. He shared his experience.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers -- or CUP-W -- blames Canada Post's new sorting and delivery system for the holiday delays. Bob Tyre is CUP-W's local Winnipeg President. He was in Winnipeg.

Postal Stamp Increase - Doug Jones

The union's complaints come at a challenging time for Canada Post. Fewer people are using its mail services. Doug Jones is the Senior Vice President for Operations at Canada Post. He was in Ottawa.

Postal Stamp Increase - John Willis

Despite its current troubles... The Canadian Postal service has had a long and distinguished history. It even has its own museum. John Willis is a Historian at the Canadian Postal Museum at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. He's also the co-author of Country Post: Rural Postal Service in Canada, 1880 to 1945. He was in Ottawa.

Related Links:

• Canada Post denies Christmas backlog - Global News
• Canada Post played Grinch by Steve White - Windsor Star
• Some Canada Post customers get mail at night, some not for days by James Foster - Times & Transcript

Other segments from today's show:

• Offshore Oil Drilling Report
• Filial Responsibility