On coming into office the new government of Canada lead by Justin Trudeau sent letters to a number of public organisations including Canada Post for their heads to resign in order that a people who have risen through the ranks and have shown merit in their specialism may be considered for their role. The board of Canada Post respectfully refused the request for its president, Deepak Chopra, to leave his post.

In response, Canada Post’s Chairperson Sian Matthews wrote: “Mr. Chopra was appointed President of Canada Post on February 1, 2011 through a process managed by the Privy Council Office of the Government of Canada.

“The rigorous selection process for this role included an international search conducted by a leading executive search firm. It was advertised publicly, competitive and merit-based. Several high-quality candidates from around the world were considered by the search committee, which included senior members of the Privy Council Office, members of the Board of Directors of Canada Post and senior officials of the Department of Transportation. Mr. Chopra was the unanimous choice of that selection committee.”

Matthews went on to explain why Canada Post believed that Chopra’s achievements thus far have vindicated his appointment: “During his tenure at Canada Post, Mr. Chopra has received solid performance reviews from both the Board of Directors and the Government of Canada. His thoughtful leadership has been instrumental in changing Canada Post into a modern post, meeting both the needs of Canadians and our statutory obligation to be financially self-sufficient.

“Canada Post has faced tremendous pressure to adapt to a new business model that addresses a world of declining mail volumes and increased electronic communication. Mr. Chopra’s leadership, however, has not been solely remedial – he has championed and re-energized our e-commerce parcel business, where we are fully competitive in the market. Our volumes and revenues in the parcels business have consistently grown by over 8% a year.”

Matthews concluded her letter by saying: “We respectfully ask you to withdraw the December 7, 2015 letter. Responsible leaders, like Mr. Chopra, who commit to public service in this great country, should be celebrated, and not shamed.”