Avoiding the question - or Ignoring basic indicators

Wouldn't it be even more feasible to drop the penny altogether?

28 May, 2008
Dear Sir or Madam,

I acknowledge your email of March 19, 2008, regarding the one-cent coin. I apologize for the undue delay in responding to your query; it was an unfortunate oversight on our part.
First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to share your comments with us.
No decision has been taken on the future of the penny. The Government of Canada's objective is to serve the currency needs of Canadians and any decision would take the potential impact on consumers and businesses into consideration.
Unfortunately, the Mint does not provide the total cost to produce coins as this information is considered commercially sensitive because we bid on foreign coin contracts. However, the metal cost associated with the production of a one-cent coin is eight tenths of a cent.
Regarding our Coinstar recycling service, we are encouraging Canadians to recycle their coins regardless of their denomination, as this is more feasible than the Mint having to produce new ones.
--------Original Message--------

From: mg labreche
Sent: 19/03/2008
To: Royal Canadian Mint

thanks for posting the report of consumer and retailer attitudes toward the 1c piece. Where can i find out more on the costs of its raw materials, processing, minting, distribution, and recovery? Finally, if 70% of coins processed in your Coinstar machines are pennies, and people are willing to pay nearly 10% to get rid of
them, isn't that an indication that they are highly undesirable?

Drop the penny, support Bill C-531

Sent this to my MP, the Honourable Gordon O'Connor:

Sir,
I fully support the withdrawal of the one cent coin ("penny") from circulation. The good people in your department could calculate the exact numbers for you, but purchasing power of the dollar today is less than one-twentyfifth over the past 130 years or so; it therefore doesn't make any sense to continue squandering financial and environmental resources to support its production and distribution. No sense throwing good money after bad, so to speak.
The rounding method proposed for section 8 subsection 2 is reasonable. The resistance from the Royal Canadian Mint (and their spin doctors' attempts to control the damage the results of their November study inflicted upon them) is understandable, and the nostalgic value of the penny should be acknowledged, but as will all things, there comes a time when we must let go. The time has come to recognize that the penny has become obsolete, merely a heavy, expensive reminder of days gone by when you could actually buy something with it.
The only logical alternative would be to enact a "new canadian dollar" worth ten of today's dollars. Then the penny would be worth a dime, and worth fighting for.

Sincerely,