Canada Post’s top executives repeatedly and unequivocally denied any connection to the controversial Driver Inc. model during a tense appearance before the House of Commons transport committee but faced sustained pushback from MPs citing a La Presse report suggesting otherwise.

“Canada Post does not engage any contractors under the Driver Inc. model. Period,” president and CEO Doug Ettinger told the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. He came under fire from MPs on the committee for declining previous invitations to address the committee before finally being summoned.

Ettinger reinforced his position throughout the hearing, stating: “There is no engagement of Driver Inc. throughout Canada Post,” and added the Crown corporation has “no evidence…nothing that I can point to” indicating the practice exists within its network.

La Presse report drives scrutiny

Much of the questioning centred on a recent La Presse report that alleged up to 25 companies connected to Canada Post contracts may have used the Driver Inc. model.

Ettinger acknowledged he had reviewed the article and said it prompted internal follow-up.

“We have contacted all of the names of the companies,” he told the committee, but maintained: “We are not engaged in any activity around Driver Inc.”

Later, he added Canada Post determined none of the companies identified in the report are currently contractors in its network.

However, MPs remained unconvinced, with one calling his response “incoherent” and arguing that awarding contracts to companies linked to misclassification still amounts to participation in the model.

Committee members pointed to enforcement actions against carriers allegedly tied to Canada Post work, including fines from Employment and Social Development Canada and provincial agencies related to undeclared wages and labor violations.

Bloc Québécois MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval cited numerous examples of companies who have been fined for driver misclassification who do work for Canada Post, saying he obtained them through Freedom to Information requests.

Those examples were used to challenge Canada Post’s assertion that its procurement and auditing systems are effectively screening out non-compliant operators.

Ettinger stood by those systems, highlighting supplier codes of conduct, contractual obligations and nearly 1,500 audits conducted last year. He welcomed the opportunity to review the list obtained by Barsalou-Duval.

“Last year, we did almost 1,500 audits, and we took action on 650 of them. We had 17 drivers removed, and we replaced 12 lanes with different services,” Ettinger said of the corporation’s compliance efforts.

MPs also questioned whether Canada Post carriers are subcontracting loads from the Crown Corp. to Driver Inc. carriers.

Ettinger acknowledged it is “not uncommon” for contractors to rely on subcontractors, while insisting primary contractors are responsible for ensuring compliance.

That position drew criticism from MPs, who argued this structure creates a gap — allowing Driver Inc. practices to exist deeper in the supply chain while Canada Post maintains it does not “directly” engage such carriers.

CTA calls for accountability

Following the hearing, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTAI said in a release that Canada Post’s assurances do not align with industry experience.

“While we welcome the commitment to integrity we heard today from Canada Post, the real test will be what happens next,” said CTA president Stephen Laskowski.

CTA is calling on the federal government to ensure Canada Post: eliminates driver misclassification; enforces zero tolerance for forced labor; and  prioritizes compliant carriers in procurement.

The group is also seeking a meeting with federal officials and Canada Post to ensure vetting processes are delivering “verified safe and labor-compliant fleets.”