P.E.I. groups finding creative ways to deliver kids' letters to Santa as Canada Post strike continues

With the Canadian postal strike now in its fourth week, some helper elves in P.E.I. are working hard to make sure Santa Claus gets children's letters in time for Christmas.

In Charlottetown, members of the city's fire department became de facto mail carriers during the annual Christmas Parade. 

The department agreed to place a large mailbox to collect the letters just outside the fire station on Kent Street so that kids can come by and drop off their wish lists until this Friday.  

"We walked the streets and collected letters for Santa. We came back with a box full of letters that was really large, and we are handing them off to make their way to the North Pole," said Tim Mamye, Charlottetown's fire chief. 

"The old fella's got time. Once we get them there, give him a couple of weeks' notice and he's going to get the letters all signed off and get them back to the kids." 

Thousands of Canada Post workers walked off the job on Nov. 15, halting deliveries of letters and packages across the country at the start of the holiday season. 

The job action entered its 27th day Wednesday, with the agency saying the postal workers union's latest demands in negotiations toward a new collective agreement are unaffordable and unsustainable. 

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers pushed back on Canada Post's criticism in a bulletin to members Tuesday evening, giving a list of proposals it said are meant to bring the two parties closer together.

CUPW's local president in Charlottetown, Pearl Gillis Palmer, confirmed to CBC News that postal workers were not able to collect letters to Santa during the parade due to the strike.

CBC News reached out to Canada Post for comment but has not received a response.

The Town of Cornwall is also trying to make sure the stacks of children's letters collected at a recent Breakfast with Santa event make their way to the big man. 

A mailbox has been set up in the main lobby of the town hall so that families can drop them off anytime, including after Cornwall's Christmas parade this Saturday. 

"I don't see why this postal strike should affect children. It's a magical time of year and we want to encourage that," councillor Elaine Barnes said. "We're a very family-oriented community and we do a lot of activities and we try to make sure everyone is included of all ages."

As for what happens to the kids' letters after they're collected, that's a bit of magic that the organizers of the initiatives won't — or can't — reveal. 

Rest assured, though, the jolly old elf will read and respond to them all. 

"Santa's responses might be a little late. He's pretty busy this time of year, which is understandable," Barnes said. 

"But those letters will be received by Santa before Christmas, so if the kids drop them off and have their return addresses on them, they will get responses."