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Note from the boys - "Snail Mail" Box

There has been some concern expressed by fans that our recent decision to close our Post Office box was a rather cynical attempt to distance ourselves from our fans and friends.

As is often the case, the reality is more mundane. Our branch of Canada Post recently decided to change their policy on handing out accumulated mail to box holders. From now on, you have to present your original key in order to receive your mail. The fact that you just paid to renew the box rent, and you are standing in front of them with credit card and ID is not sufficient.

It should not come as a surprise to discover that we lost our key many years ago. Our local Canada Post branch will not give us our mail unless we a) find it, or b) pay for their locksmith to take apart the box, and retumble a new lock, (at their rates, not ours). Letting us copy the spare key (which they have) is not an option. Neither is just giving us the mail, and being done with us.

As this seems really dumb to us, we are asking people not to send anything else to this address until we can resolve the situation. And liberate our mail.

The band
Published Wednesday, July 25, 2007 12:16 PM by nicopop
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Comments

 

kati1267 said:

Gee, nice to know that the U.S. Postal system isn't the only one with bizarre practices!  I think it's just their gross insecurities due to the existence of email, faxes, fedex and any multitude of information deliveries that don't involve a post office.

Stand your ground, boys.

Cheers,

Kati
(Who is greatly looking forward to seeing you in Ridgefield in August)
July 25, 2007 1:34 PM
 

Jackie said:

Another awesome move from Canada Post.  Good luck to you, and whenever you're ready to start the letterwriting campaign, just let us know.
July 25, 2007 3:42 PM
 

seuss13 said:

classic, absolutely classic.  Who in their right mind gave the boys a key to anything and didn't make a copy!  Good lord, can you imagine where that key might be now?????  Holy moly it could be (quite literally) anywhere.  Isn't it funny how the true story (as it often seems with GBS) is much funnier than the imagined!!
July 25, 2007 3:45 PM
 

William said:

You're asking people not to send stuff period for now or to send stuff to the Ontario box the web management company will forward to you? It's cheaper to forward mail and packages from Ontario for how long instead of paying to rekey the current box?
July 25, 2007 4:49 PM
 

Bonnie said:

Remind me not to deal with that particular branch!  I've known for years that Canada Post is screwed but that is a first for me.  

Sorry for being so harsh and critical about the closure of the original snail mail box.  Just goes to show that nobody should assume anything...it makes an ass out of you and me!

Good luck on freeing your mail, lads.  Maybe we should start a campaign for 'Free GBS's Snail Mail'....GBS Snail Mail Liberation Army?
July 25, 2007 6:51 PM
 

NorthernSpy said:

The government bast@rds, they've done it again! let common sense prevail! Oh silly me , it's canada post, they have no common sense. Wishing you all the luck, or a lock pick!
Audrey;)
July 26, 2007 8:01 AM
 

Gerri said:

Funny thing....I called to see how I could get a duplicate mail key and they told me to go to any hardware store!! Thats in Alberta! Must be different elsewhere!

Looking forward to seeing you guys in Calgary at the Folk Festival this w/e!!
July 26, 2007 5:11 PM
 

Speaker too said:

I was curious to hear what happened.

Of course, I can understand the sanctity of Canada Post. This is the organization that delivers our tax payments and utility bills so faithfully. Thank god someone is looking out for us.

'Course in this age of email, facebook, MySpace, instant messaging, and online financial transactions, it makes complete sense that Canada Post clings tightly to control of your peanut brittle and fan photos.

I love this one: "As this seems really dumb to us" ... LOL! Would that be the understatement of the year?

In someone's universe this makes sense. Truly though, it's a shame your local St. John's branch is so huge and your identities are so obscure that local staff cannot possibly vouch for you themselves -- as a doctor or lawyer does on your passport photos after knowing you just two years, for example. Oh wait! As of October 1st this year most adult Canadians who hold a valid passport will now be able to act as guarantor.

Right.

I'm stumped.

Guess you'll have to pay their locksmith's rates. I'm sure his fees aren't inflated! Of course in this age of email, messaging, and online financial transactions, Canada Post gets points for finding creatively stupid ways to siphon new money to maintain their very excellent staff and customer services.

*cough* ;)



July 28, 2007 10:44 AM
 

Zandolit said:

Gerri, I live in St. John's, and it is different here from what you describe in Alberta. This is actually the second time this summer I've heard of someone having this key issue. They seem to be real sticklers about it for some reason... apparently for Great Big Sea as well as for us ordinary folks.

(I may be biased because I'm still rotted with Canada Post for sending my Mother's Day card for my grandmother back to me for having too little postage. Yes, I know it was oversized. That's why I brought it to the desk to have a Canada Post employee measure it and put the postage on. How they managed to screw it up still is beyond me.)

All this to say, I am sympathetic but not surprised.
July 28, 2007 4:23 PM
 

Wildchild said:

HA!  sounds like another humorous and very enjoyable song coming on........
July 28, 2007 8:27 PM
 

katfairy said:

Your tax dollars at work.  Guess bureaucracy gets everywhere- kinda like cockroaches.

I try not to think about the Post Office here in the States; it makes me too depressed.
July 31, 2007 10:04 PM
 

CharlesGBS said:

Boys that's just a kick in the pants eh? Lordy, it will be awhile before we can send them mail again folks, so let's write Canada Post and to tell them to give GBS a key!
All the best Lads and lasses
August 6, 2007 2:38 PM
 

Brenda said:

I agree with Wildchild -

This would be a GREAT song, they could call it (in traditional GBS fashion)
The "Canadian Post Customers Lament...
         An Homage to Useless  Bureaucracy"
... there could be dancing cockroaches playing at the bottom of the video : ) ... With a scene in the vein from the "Stumblin' In" video ... the part with Sean & Darryl doin' the cops with their donuts schtick : )
Can you see the rows of - other lonely & abandonded - post office boxes reflecting the bright red flames from the torche of the lock picker with that great black ski mask accessory - that is set on freeing all that peanut brittle & fan photos... the pile must be enormous at this point!  ... there could even be a shot of the employees munching down on the peanut brittle boxes torn open in a fit of hunger with the B'ys names on them ... gives a new meaning to "going postal" : )
Could the mermaid having a cameo role?

I think Bonnie has a great idea - I second the motion -
Loyal GBS's should start a campaign for
'Free GBS's Snail Mail'....GBS Snail Mail Liberation Army? -

Yes, and I suggest we do it with pennies - from all over the world - shame the post with kids dumping their piggy banks to pay for the overpriced locksmith - housewives throwing in their pennies from the coupons they used at the grocery - etc

Wow, that would be a labor of love... where do I send my pennies - this could be a fun weekly thing till the mail is freed... and then we can have a GBS day of liberation!

And the Canada Post's very excellent staff would then not feel so abandoned - we could boost their gross insecurities al right!  
Yes, that would be "a kick in the pants"  ...

Where do we begin- What is the address ?
August 7, 2007 8:47 PM
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