O.K. my turn....
Generally speaking, when it comes to shipping (as a Canadian), in side the country to other Canadians I find our express post fast and usually reliable.
With a DC, a small package is about $7.00.
I don't use couriers due to cost.
Shipping to the U.S. can be a crap shoot.
Again I don't use couriers as they seem to love to hand all packages over for inspection...
I've had all methods of shipping fail at one time or another using the postal service.
Usually I find that our 'small packet air' service is the most reliable and the fastest, also oddly enough, the cheapest but no DC
The 'expedited parcel' which automatically comes with a DC seems to slow it down and the tracking is useless after it is handed off to another countries postal system.