Canada Post Will Continue Program of Free Delivery to Deployed Troops

I'd like to thank Canada Post and the Canadian Forces for conjunctively bringing families and friends closer to their families and friends closer through the holiday season through this service. I know there are many families through Canada who have shown deep appreciation for this service. All the best to you for a warm holiday.
To families and friends: a reminder - when sending a letter, to benefit from this free service, remember to take it to a postal office to mail rather than depositing it in a mailbox. The staff need to stamp the envelope. Some families who have deposited their cherished letters in the mailbox, have had them returned, which is unfortunate.
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Canada Post will continue program of free delivery to deployed troops

Oct. 26, 2009
OTTAWA (October 26, 2009)—Canada Post announced today it will again provide free delivery of letters and parcels from family and friends to Canadian troops deployed in Afghanistan and elsewhere overseas. This will be the fourth year that Canada Post has offered this service. Free parcel service for family and friends of deployed Canadian troops will be provided from October 26, 2009 to January 15, 2010.
Last year Canada Post forwarded more than 21,000 parcels to our Canadian troops serving in Afghanistan and elsewhere overseas, an increase of 60 per cent over the previous year. Family and friends of deployed troops will also be able to continue sending letters free throughout 2010. At the end of this period, Canada Post and the Department of National Defence will jointly evaluate the program.
"We are pleased to be able to show our continued support for our troops serving overseas and their families," said Moya Greene, president and chief executive officer of Canada Post.
“This program allows Canadians at home to extend their best wishes to loved ones far away in the service of Canada, often in dangerous places,” said the Honourable Rob Merrifield, Minister of State (Transport). “It is an excellent initiative and one I very much support.”
With capacity limitations on military aircraft carrying supplies and munitions to deployed forces, this offer is restricted to family and friends of the deployed service men and women serving overseas in war zones. That includes members of the Canadian Forces serving in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sinai and Jerusalem. Troops serving on any of the deployed Her Majesty's Canadian Ships are also included in the offer.
To ensure the proper customs declaration form and addressing information, the letters and parcels will need to be deposited at one of Canada Post's more than 6,600 full-service retail outlets across the country (letters and packages dropped in regular street letter boxes will not qualify). They will then be forwarded to Canadian Forces Bases in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Victoria, British Columbia and Belleville, Ontario. Once delivered to the military bases, the Department of National Defence will take charge of the letters and parcels and ensure their delivery overseas. All mail must be addressed to a specific soldier, including rank and mission information.

Thank you Canada Post!

A HUGE "THANK YOU" goes out to Canada Post as they are offering free parcel service to familes and friends of deployed troops from Oct 26 - Jan 15, 2007 (remember to still label your address as before)

This will make sending our care packages a lot easier! Thank you Canada Post! You have aided in making many soldiers' Christmases a little brighter. Friends and Familes... Let's get sending!

A Copy of the Release from Canada Post as follows:

Newsroom

October 24, 2006
Canada Post offers free parcel service to families of deployed troops
Ottawa - Canada Post today announced it will provide free parcel service for family and friends of deployed Canadian troops for the holiday season. Effective October 26 through January 15, 2007 Canada Post will deliver parcels free of charge to designated Canadian Forces Bases, where they will be forwarded through the Canadian Forces postal system to our troops overseas.
"We are pleased the Department of National Defense accepted our offer to send regular parcels, free of charge, from anywhere in Canada to members of the Canadian Forces deployed overseas during the holiday season", said Moya Greene, president and Chief Executive Officer of Canada Post. "It is our way of recognizing and supporting our troops and their families during this special time of year when separation is often most keenly felt."
With capacity limitations on military aircraft carrying supplies to deployed forces, this offer is restricted to family and friends of the servicemen and women serving in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sinai and Jerusalem. Troops serving on any of the deployed Her Majesty's Canadian Ships are also included in the offer.
"We sincerely appreciate Canada Post's generosity in offering this free parcel service," said the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Rick Hillier. "The importance of helping our troops overseas remain connected with their loved ones in Canada cannot be understated, especially during this time of year."
To ensure the proper customs declaration form and addressing information, the parcels will need to be deposited at a Canada Post or dealer retail outlet (not a street letter box) where they will be forwarded to Canadian Forces Bases in Halifax, NS, Victoria, BC and Belleville, ON. Once delivered to the military bases, the Department of National Defence will take charge of the parcels and ensure their delivery overseas. Parcels must be addressed to a specific soldier, including rank and mission information.

A special note to Dave and his staff at Canada Post Office @ Guardian Drugstore :
You have truly been MY guardians through tour. Thank you for helping me to sort, lift, post, holding the door open and letting me throw one more kiss onto my many parcels to my son. Thank you for your smiles and your compassion. HUA!