MONTREAL -- Just don't call him Jackhammer Gilles.
While Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe reiterated his opposition to community mailboxes on Wednesday, he made it clear he has no intention of emulating Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre's hands-on approach to fighting them.
Coderre caused a stir last month when, clad in a hard hat and an orange and yellow reflective vest, he picked up a jackhammer and began drilling into the concrete foundations of a Montreal-area community mailbox.
"I am very clumsy and not much of a handyman, except in the kitchen ... and I don't have a jackhammer," Duceppe said as he campaigned in Montreal.
On a more serious note, the Bloc leader accused Canada Post of being arrogant in bringing in the boxes and closing post office counters in rural areas without proper consultation.
He called the process flawed and said it does not respect the wishes of municipalities and citizens.
"Let's take the time to study the entire matter with a parliamentary committee -- and let's start by forcing Canada Post executives to listen to ordinary people and the mayors of our cities.
"Their arrogance will take a hit."
Duceppe urged voters to send a strong Bloc team to Ottawa in the Oct. 19 election so the MPs can continue their fight against the Canada Post plans.
"In the past, the Bloc has been able to bring about moratoriums on the closure of post offices in outlying regions," he said. "And every time Canada Post fought back, the Bloc Quebecois made the government backtrack."
Canada Post has said it is committed to moving ahead with its plans -- originally announced in December 2013 -- to gradually reduce home mail delivery and install community mailboxes despite court challenges and calls for a moratorium by a number of mayors.
The corporation says it has no choice but to go that route because of a continuing drop in letter volume.
Canada Post converted 100,000 addresses that had door-to-door delivery to community mailboxes in 2014 and had plans to switch about 900,000 this year.
"There is nothing to justify such haste," Duceppe said. "Canada Post is a profitable business that made $200 million in 2014."
In fact, Canada Post Group, which includes Canada Post, Purolator and other businesses, had a $198-million net profit last year, compared with a $29-million net loss the year before.
Of the $198 million, $148 million came from the main Canada Post business.