Canada's P.o.s Won't Sell Booklet Singles

I collect only Canadian mint and am becoming increasing concerned that Canadian post offices refuse to sell a single from a booklet due to the inventory system based solely on UPCs. Canada Post Philatelic will not sell any singles other than those contained in the quarterly or annual packs which have only die cut booklet stamps, which are a separate collectible.

My National Philatelic Centre account automatically gives me two booklets of each stamp issued, but I also need a booklet single to round out my collection.

At three local Canada Post offices in the past few days, each refused to sell me a booklet single even though I suggested that I'd buy a single coil example of another stamp at the same value to replace the one taken from the booklet. I explained that a sale of a single stamp would be recorded at the correct value, the booklet would look funny to prospective buyer only until they explained that it was due to selling a stamp from it to a collector, but that the booklet still contained the appropriate number of correct valued stamps (which should not matter to a non-collector). They all could see my point, but were sorry that they still couldn't sell me the single stamp that I needed. I also refused their offer of selling me a souvenir sheet as it is a totally different collectible.

It is my belief that Canada Post is making it impossible for youth collectors to purchase single stamps that are issued in booklet format (other than the special die cuts in teh quarterly/annual packs). Imagine an 8 year old collector having to buy a $10.70 + GST 10 stamp booklet just to have a single $1.70 stamp for his/her collection. The Canada Post Office's explanation that the other 9 $1.70 stamps can always be used for postage some time just doesn't cut it with me.

Without the youth collectors, where will the stamp collecting market be in 10 - 30 years?

I would appreciate any feedback on this issue as I plan to write to Jim Phillips, Director, Stamp Services on this issue, with cc's to Canada Post's Stamp Advisory Committee members.