Canada

Canada stamps

P=have O=don’t have it

Scott: #311-14P

Issued: 24.9.1951

Centennial of British North American Postal Administration

Inside #314: Canada #1O

This centennial commemorative issue of four postage stamps honoured the transfer in 1851 of the administration of postal service from Great Britain to British North America. The three low denominations emphasize the development of communications by land, water, and air, a feature of Canadian history closely related to the development of postal service. The fourth stamp in the series features the first postage stamp issued in 1851 by the Province of Canada. The first day of issue coincided with the stamp exhibition called CAPEX (Canadian Association for Philatelic Exhibitions). The Postmaster General, the Hon. G. Edouard Rinfret, K.C., M.P., was the Honorary President. The central motif of the 15-cent stamp is a reproduction of the 1851 three- pence beaver design stamp designed by Sandford Fleming (See below). This was the first 15-cent denomination since 1908. In 1951 the Department anticipated that the 15-cent denomination would be convenient to prepay postage on airmail letters to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Europe. The colour approximated the red of the original 1851 three-pence stamp.

Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Canada's Postage Stamps. Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1964, p. 92-93.

The first postage stamp issue of the Province of Canada

The first postage stamp issue of the Province of Canada featured the beaver on the 3-pence, H.R.H. Albert, the Prince Consort on the 6-pence denomination, and Her Majesty Queen Victoria on the 12-pence. These stamps were produced on laid paper without perforations. Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edison, the New York security printers, received the contract to print Canadian postage stamps, producing all the requirements until 1st May, 1858. On that day the company name changed, following amalgamation, to the American Bank Note Company with headquarters remaining in New York City. The new firm continued the former printing contract until Canadian Confederation in 1867. Sandford Fleming, a young civil engineer and draughtsman, designed the 3-pence stamp under the direction of the Honourable James Morris, Postmaster General. He also prepared the artwork with a similar beaver motif for a 1-shilling denomination which never appeared as a finished postage stamp. Sandford Fleming's most important work concerned railway construction in Canada, and for his work Queen Victoria knighted him. He became chief engineer for the Intercolonial Railway (1857-76), and for the Canadian Pacific Railway (1871-80). In 1872 he was in charge of the Ocean-to-Ocean Expedition undertaken to find a route for the Canadian Pacific through the Yellowhead Pass. During these years he devised the system of time zones. From 1881 until his death in 1915 he served as Chancellor of Queen's University at Kingston. The 3-pence denomination featuring a beaver building a dam was symbolic of the people in the young country of Canada building their towns, cities, and communities. The secondary purpose of choosing the beaver centred in the original meaning of the beaver skin; it represented a medium of exchange in trade.

Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Canada's Postage Stamps. Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1964, p. 8.

First day maximum card

%23399A

Scott: #399P

Issued: 22.8.1962

Centenary, City of Victoria, B.C.

%232A Inside #399: British Columbia and Vancouver Island #2O

From its first settlement as an outpost of the Hudson's Bay Company, strategically located on the south eastern tip of "Vancouver's Island", Victoria has grown into a thriving center of charm and distinction that is probably unique in North America. This year marks Victoria's Centenary as an incorporated city. It was James Douglas, a chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company, who selected the location for Fort Victoria which was named in honour of the girl queen who ascended the Throne of England in 1837. The isolated post had to be self supporting and the arable land surrounding the new port provided excellent crops. It was ideally located in a favourable trading district, accessible to the North Pacific mainland. The life of the outpost centered about the operation of the Hudson's Bay post until 1849 when Vancouver's Island was made a crown colony and declared open for colonization. Sparked by the Fraser River Gold Rush of 1858, the trading post exploded almost, overnight into a lively frontier town. Since it was the only seaport in British Columbia, it became the outfitting center for the miners and adventurers seeking the wealth of the goldfields. No sooner had the excitement of the first gold rush subsided than the Cariboo Rush broke, followed by the Klondike gold stampede of 1898. With such limpetus, its growth was rapid and the community was incorporated as the City of Victoria in 1862, just 100 years ago. Today, Victoria is justly proud of the largest dry-dock in Canada, the largest astrophysical telescope in the nation, the largest per capita tourist trade in Canada and the mildest winter climate of any Canadian city. Each year, thousands of tourists throng its streets and find in the restful, unhurried atmosphere the ideal spot for relaxation. Of great interest in Victoria is the solid background of British customs and institutions which have survived more vigourously than in any other Canadian city. Victoria has kept as its basic charm the beauty and dignity of ivied walls, picturesque gardens and imposing Tudor or colonial homes. The new stamp is designed to commemorate the development of the city from its lusty frontier days to its modern role as provincial capital. The new issue follows precedents set in 1908 and in 1949 when stamps honouring the 300th Anniversary of Quebec and the 200th Anniversary of Halifax were produced.

Canada Post Office Department. [Postage Stamp Press Release], 1962.

British Columbia and Vancouver Island stamp

The United Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia, in 1860, issued a postage stamp inscribed with the names of both British Columbia and Vancouver Island. This unusual step was taken for reasons of economy, both colonies having sufficient customers to justify the printing of stamps, but not enough to justify separate issues for each colony.

The one stamp was denominated 2 1/2 pence, depicted Queen Victoria in profile, and was surface-printed in a brownish-rose color by De La Rue. 235,440 were printed.

In 1862, Vancouver Island switched to decimal currency, and sold these stamps for 5 cents. It first issued its own 5- and 10-cent stamps in September 1865.

In June 1864, British Columbia increased its postal rate to 3 pence, selling these stamps for 3d until its own stamps became available in November 1865. Pairs of stamps, used to pay a special rate to Vancouver Island, were also sold at 15 cents per pair. Although after 1865, the 2 1/2d stamp was officially invalid, in 1867 some were made available at a 6 1/4 cent rate to express mail operators.

The upshot of all this was the single type of stamp was sold for 2 1/2d, 3d, 5c, 6 1/4c, and 7 1/2c without ever receiving a surcharge indicating a changed value.

The surviving stamps sell for about US$250 as of 2003, but much more if they are in good condition and well-centered.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_and_Vancouver_Island

FDC: #399P

#754

#756

Scott: #753-56P

Issued: #753 - 18.1.1978

Issued: #754-6 - 10.6.1978

CAPEX '78

Inside #753: Canada #3O

Inside #754: Canada #7O

Inside #754: Canada #8O

Inside #756: Canada #2O

Scott: #756aP

Issued: 10.6.1978

The Canadian International Philatelic Exhibition, CAPEX 78, will be held at the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds in Toronto from June 9 to 18, 1978. This is the nation's second international stamp exhibition, the first having been held in 1951. CAPEX 78 will commemorate the centennial of Canada's entry into the Universal Postal Union. Sponsored by the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada, under the patronage of the Fיdיration Internationale de Philatיlie and under the auspices of the Federacion Interamericana de Filatelia, the show will be the largest and most important in Canadian postal history. To herald this important congress of philatelists and collectors, the Post Office has chosen to issue a stamp-on-stamp design featuring a pair of one of Canada's classic stamps: the12-penny Queen Victoria of 1851. The Queen Victoria classics, from fine examples now owned by the National Postal Museum, Ottawa, have been engraved by Robert Couture. The intaglio is printed in the original colour (black) over a light background. Design is by Carl Brett of Toronto.

Canada. Post Office Department. [Postage Stamp Press Release], 1978.

Special Album

CAPEX '78

Scott: #909-13P

Issued: 11.3.1982 / 20.5.1982

CANADA '82

Inside #909: Canada #1O

%23102 Inside #910: Canada #102O

In the summer of 1908 Canadians honoured the three hundredth anniversary of the founding of Quebec in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer and colonizer. In March, 1908 the government proposed to issue a series of postage stamps to commemorate the occasion. In view of the marked departure from the precedent in subject matter for the proposed stamp designs, the Department sought the permission of King Edward VII to use portraits of non-royal persons and historical subjects on stamps of permanent validity. His Majesty consented, and the stamp were released on [16th] July, 1908 for sale to the public throughout the Dominion [before] the Prince of Wales (later King George V) reached Quיbec. "Partement pour l'ouest" - Champlain's departure for the West. This stamps was designed by an artist of the American Bank Note Company. The scene depicted is that described by Champlain in the following words, taken from the narrative of his third voyage to America: "With our canoes laden with provisions, our arms and some merchandise to be given as presents to the Indians, I started on Monday, May 27th, from the Isle of Sainte Helaine, accompanied by four Frenchmen and one Indian. A salute was given in my honour from small pieces of artillery." The archaic French note is introduced in the word "partement," used by Champlain in place of the modern "dיpart."

Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Canada's Postage Stamps. Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1964, p. 42, 44.

%23223 Inside #911: Canada #223P

This issue of stamps in higher values continues to depict scenes of Canadian interest from coast to coast. A Royal Canadian Mounted Police constable on horseback with a prairie background. The force, organized in 1873, has built a tradition of service, courage, and integrity. First known as the North West Mounted Police, the men confined their duties to the Northwest Territories. The term Royal was prefixed to the title in 1904, and in 1920 the name was changed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Canada's Postage Stamps. Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1964, p. 73.

%23155 Inside #912: Canada #155P

%23158 Inside #913: Canada #158P

Canada #155 & #158

Commencing with the issue of 1928, the Post Office Department for the first time utilized its higher value stamps with regular issue for the purpose of depicting Canadian scenes of geographical and industrial interest from coast to coast. This was a significant event in the development of Canadian postage stamps as a medium of information about Canada. The first stamps released under this new policy showed wide diversity of subjects. They ranged from the internationally famous fishing schooner Bluenose, on the Atlantic Coast, to scenic Mount Hurd in British Columbia. The scheme met with instant public approval. The Department has continued scenic stamps in each regular issue since 1928. With a few exceptions of commemorative issues prior to 1928, Canadian postage stamps portrayed the royal family.

Canada #155

A vignette, "The Ice-crowned Monarch of the Rockies," from an original watercolour painting by Frederick Marlett Bell-Smith, R.C.A., by kind permission of R.D. Hume, Q.C., of Toronto. The painting shows Mount Hurd, (named after Major Hurd, the engineer and explorer), in the Ottertail Range of the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, and in a panel at each side of the stamp is a totem pole. This design depicts the natural beauty of Canada and its interesting folklore. The totem poles are reproductions from a Canadian government photograph of one owned by the Gitksan tribe, a people of the Skeena River. The pole is located in the Upper Skeena valley at a small place called Kitwanga, an Indian name meaning Place of the Rabbit. The Indian name of the totem pole is Spesanish, meaning Half-Bear Den. The pole stands nineteen feet in height.

Canada #158

The Canadian fishing schooner, Bluenose, racing off Halifax Harbour, a composite picture made from photographs taken in 1922 by W. R. MacAskill, of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The schooner was built in 1920-21, at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, by Messrs. Smith and Rhuland, to the designs of W. J. Rouי, of Halifax, and launched in March, 1921. Essentially a practical fishing boat, the schooner was also designed to uphold the Bluenose racing supremacy on the Atlantic seaboard. That she achieved her promoters' ambition is proved by the fact that she decisively defeated every competitor of her class. She never lost a series of races. The owners of the Bluenose were honoured in 1935 by having their schooner present when King George V reviewed the British Fleet at Spithead. In selecting this design, the Department gave world-wide publicity to three important phases of Nova Scotian life and industry: fisheries, ship- building, and seamanship.

Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Canada's Postage Stamps. Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1964, p. 56, 58.

Scott: #913aP

[Canadian Lighthouses, type ]

Scott: #1066bP

Issued: 03.10.1985

"Capex '87" International Stamp Exhibition

Inside #1066b (In margin): Pseudo stamp (in Logo)

Scott: #1107bP

Issued: 01.10.1986

"Capex '87" International Stamp Exhibition

Inside #1107b (In margin): Pseudo stamp (in Logo)

["Capex '87" International Stamp Exhibition, Toronto - Post Offices - Inscription Light Green, type ]

Scott: #1125AP

Issued: 12.06.1987

"Capex '87" International Stamp Exhibition, Toronto - Post Offices - Inscription Light Green

["Capex '87" International Stamp Exhibition, Toronto. Post Offices, type AIX] Inside #1125A (In margin): Canada #1122P

Inside #1125A (In margin): Pseudo stamp (in Logo)

Gordon wrote: This souvenir sheet shows progressive proofs of either Sc. 1122 or Sc. 1125Ab (we can't tell which one because the progression has not yet included the denomination and other lettering at the bottom of the stamp). It offers partial portrayals of existing postage stamps.

Thanks to Gordon Berthin

[Canadian Lighthouses, type ]

Scott: #1066bP

Issued: 03.10.1985

"Capex '87" International Stamp Exhibition

Inside #1066b (In margin): Pseudo stamp (in Logo)

Scott: #1722P

Issued: 29.5.1998

Centennial, Imperial Penny Post

%2385a Inside #1722: Canada #85P

Canada #1722

It was a momentous time in postal history; one hundred years ago, imperial penny postage was introduced, allowing Canadians to send letters anywhere in the British Empire at the rate of one British penny - just two cents Canadian! It was a huge triumph for Canada, Postmaster General Sir William Mulock played a pivotal role in negotiating this change from the previous levy of five Canadian cents. The penny-postage stamp is one of the most revered by collectors. It was the world's first Christmas issue. The stamp featured a collage of Queen Victoria's crown, a map of the world with the British Empire displayed in red, "Xmas 1898" and the phrase, "We hold a vaster empire than has been". Produced in three colours and by two different processes by the American Bank Note Company of Ottawa, it was the most expensive issue in Canadian philatelic history to that date. Recognizing the significance of the stamp for collectors, Canada Post will issue a single domestic-rate stamp. Queen Victoria's crown, a portrait of Postmaster General Sir William Mulock, and a reproduction of the original stamp are together depicted against a dark backdrop with "Canada" boldly displayed. Designed by Franחois Dallaire of Montreal, this commemorative stamp will be released May 29 in Hamilton, Ontario. For collectors who may only have dreamed of having an authentic penny stamp in their private collections, this new issue may be an affordable consolation.

Canada Post Corporation, Canada's Stamp Details, Vol. 7, No. 3, 1998, p. 15-17.

Canada #85

British statesmen had sought postal reforms almost from the time of Sir Rowland Hill's introduction of adhesive stamps in 1840. In 1885, Mr. James Henniker-Heaton, M.P., brought up the question of Imperial penny postage for practical consideration by introducing a motion in the British House of Commons. In 1890 the Jubilee of Penny Postage in Great Britain stimulated public interest in the proposal. In July, 1898, an Imperial Conference on postage rates was held in London. On the proposal of the Canadian representative, Hon. William Mulock, Postmaster General of Canada (later Sir William Mulock), the scheme was adopted for Great Britain, Canada, Newfoundland, Cape Colony, and Natal. The delegates of the Imperial Conference left the opportunity open to other regions within the British Empire to take part in the Penny Postage providing Her Majesty's Government approved the action. At first a proposal suggested fixing a uniform rate for the whole of the British Empire, but no rate acceptable to all the governments concerned could be settled upon. As chief Canadian proponent of the actual adoption of Imperial Penny Postage, the Canadian Postmaster General decided to stimulate interest in the event by issuing a special postage stamp covering the new rate and emphasizing the vast extent of the British Empire. Mr. Mulock decided to use a map on the stamps. The actual drawing for this design, was made in the presence of Mr. Mulock by Mr. Warren L. Green, President of the American Bank Note Company Limited in Ottawa. In October 1898, Mr. Green called at Mr. Mulock's office and a memorandum in his handwriting still existing in the files of the Canadian Bank Note Company, reads as follows: "This is a rough idea for the new stamp. Mr. Mulock had a number of designs for this and naturally a great many conflicting ideas. The only way I could get anything definite was to sit right down with a pencil and a brush and work right alongside of him until he got something that approached his idea." The stamp was not meant to be a limited issue; it was intended to supplement the regular stamps for prepayment principally, of overseas British correspondence, although the stamps were available for any other

postal use. Map of the world in Mercator's Projection, showing various parts of the British Empire in red. The stamp bore the inscription "Xmas 1898" and across the base of the design the text reads: "WE HOLD A VASTER EMPIRE THAN HAS BEEN." On the occasion of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Sir William Morris, a Welsh poet, wrote "A Song of Empire", published as the Jubilee Ode in June, 1897. The line occurs in the following stanza: "We hold a vaster Empire than has been! Nigh half the race of man is subject to our Queen! Nigh half the wide, wide earth is ours in fee! And where her rule comes all are free. And therefore 'tis, O Queen, that we, Knit fast in bonds of temperate liberty, Rejoice to-day, and make our solemn Jubilee."

Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Canada's Postage Stamps. Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1964, p. 37-38.

#1722a

#1738

Scott: #1738P

Issued: 24.7.1998

William Roue, Designer of the Schooner "Bluenose"

Inside #1738: Canada #158P (modified)

From a very young age, William James Rouי amused himself by sailing bits of wood and shingles in gutters and drawing pictures of yachts - childhood hobbies which foreshadowed a career that would bring him national fame. That young boy went on to design the most renowned fishing craft in Canadian history: the Bluenose. Weighing in at 154 tons, the schooner was launched at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, over 75 years ago. The vessel was commissioned by Nova Scotians in the hopes of redeeming Canada's loss to the U.S. in the 1920 International Fisherman's Race. The Maritimers were determined to win the trophy for Canada in the 1921 contest. To meet the challenge, they needed to build a salt banker with the speed of a fresh fisherman vessel, and the province insisted that the design come from home. Though his experience was that of a yacht designer, Rouי, a self-taught naval architect, conceived and realized a remarkable design. In 1921, Canada won the International Fisherman's Race, and Rouי was rewarded with a gold watch and commemorative scroll. Now, in commemoration of its own, Canada Post is releasing the William Rouי domestic-rate stamp designed by Louis Hיbert of Montreal. As a child, little did he know than that he would become the greatest designer of wooden vessels in Canadian history, and one of the most talented in the world. As an adolescent, Rouי progressed to making and sailing 1.5-metre model boats and, once he was old enough, learned to crew at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron (RNSYS). He spent winter months in the library of the Yacht Squadron devouring volumes on boat design. He enrolled in classes in mechanical drafting at the Victoria College of Art and Design, now the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Rouי was frequently called upon to design yachts for fellow members of the Squadron while he worked in the family soft-drink business. In his lifetime, Rouי created more than 100 designs for commercial vessels, including two fleets of freighters for Newfoundland and the Arctic and a number of ferries. Rouי passed away in 1970 at the age of 90. Canada's most celebrated vessel was named for Nova Scotians, called "Bluenosers", a name some believe was given to the crewmen of schooners that carried blue-skinned Nova Scotia potatoes to Boston in the late eighteenth century. Built by Smith and Rhuland and commanded by Captain Angus J. Walters, the Bluenose sailed to victory in the Halifax Herald International Fisherman's competition in 1921, 1922, 1923, 1931 and 1938, and held the record for the largest catch of fish ever brought into Lunenburg. It was sold in 1942 to a West Indian trading company. Four years later, the ship was wrecked off Haiti. An exact replica, named the Bluenose II was launched in 1963. More than a decade later, the owners turned it over to the Province of Nova Scotia and it became a seaborne ambassador. To this day, it continues to sail the North Atlantic. Over the past decades, the Bluenose has been features on three stamps: a 1929 50-cent issue, a 1982 60-cent stamp that commemorated the International Philatelic Youth Exhibition, and a 1988 37-cent issue that celebrated Bluenose skipper Angus Walters. The 1929 Bluenose stamp is the most famous of Canadian stamps, recognized around the world.

Canada Post Corporation, Canada's Stamp Details, Vol. 7, No. 4, 1998, p. 11-13.

For more details about #158 see above under #909-13

Scott: #1900P

Issued: 6.4.2001

150th Anniversary, Canadian Post

Inside #1900: Canada #1O

Canada's early history is essentially the history of the fur trade. Motivated by a quest for beaver pelts, European fur traders pressed westward from New France and Hudson Bay; opening the northwest of present-day Canada. Our first postage stamp honoured this coveted creature, and on April 6, 2001, the Three Pence Beaver appears as a stamp-on-stamp commemorating the 150th anniversary of the transfer of Postal authority from Britain to Canada. At lengths of up to 1.3 m weights of up to 32 kg, the beaver is the largest rodent in North America. A remarkable builder, it constructs dams to increase underwater habitats in winter; canals to transport food; and lodges to keep predators away. In light of its role in Canadian history, the beaver became the symbol of Canada's sovereignty in 1975. During the French regime in Canada, no organized postal service existed for the general population. Government courier carried private letters, but recipients were required to pay upon delivery. In 1755, Deputy Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin opened Canada's first official post office in Halifax, Nova Scotia. By the 1780s, mail service difficulties arose and a deputy postmaster general was appointed for Canada but the post office remained under Imperial management. Representatives from the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick met to discuss the postal system in 1847, reaching an agreement that was approved by the Imperial Parliament in 1849. Post office control passed to the Province of Canada by proclamation on April 5, 1851, with Canadian administration commencing on April 6th. The original Three Pence Beaver was based on a sketch by Sir Sandford Fleming. While featuring a beaver on Canada's first postage stamp seems natural and apt, it was a significant departure from contemporary designs which featured the reigning monarch, a statesman, geometric design, or coat-of-arms. As postal historian Thomas A. Hillman notes, the Three Pence Beaver is one of the world's earliest examples of a pictorial stamp, and until 1939, the only one featuring a rodent. Designed by Tom Yokobina of Montrיal, the 2001 Three Pence Beaver stamp-on-stamp presents our earliest stamp in a modern setting. A complete dye proof of the original stamp, photographed with kind permission from the Ron Brigham Collection, was superimposed over a background of drop shadows and computer rendered dot patterns. Yakobina's use of modern and classical type faces further emphasizes the duality of past and present.

Canada Post Corporation. Canada's Stamp Details, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2001, p. 6-7.

#1956

Scott: #1956P

Issued: 5.7.2002

Centenary, Postmasters & Assistants Association

%2377 Inside #1956: Canada #77P

What started as a local grassroots organization dedicated to improving the working conditions of postmasters in rural Manitoba has grown to become a national organization that is now the second-largest bargaining unit representing employees of Canada Post Corporation. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association, Canada Post will issue a single domestic rate stamp, which will be available in a pane of 16. The Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA) was founded in 1902 in Stonewall, Manitoba. Stonewall's first post office was opened on August 1st, 1878, with Ira Stratton becoming postmaster in 1897. Stratton, who served as postmaster until 1905, became increasingly frustrated with his situation. He was expected to pay for his office rent, heat, light, supplies, and any extra help. The hours were long, and he worked without time off. In July of 1902, a fed-up Stratton met with colleague D.H. McLean in nearby Emerson, Manitoba, and discovered that McLean had similar problems. They called a meeting of postmasters from the surrounding area, which led to the formation of The Manitoba and Northwest Accounting Postmasters' Association. Stratton presented a petition, signed by 100 postmasters, to Postmaster General William Mulock, which led to a 10% salary increase - the association's first victory. The Association grew to include six provinces by 1906 and by 1910, all nine provinces were included. After the Second World War, postmasters became full-time staff and received civil service benefits of sick leave, vacation, and superannuation. In 1968, the Association was granted collective bargaining rights. This association became the CPAA in 1978. Presently, the CPAA is divided into eight branches, representing Canada Post employees who work in rural post offices. Approximately 6,700 full- and part-time employees and approximately 3,600 term employees are members, staffing more than 3,500 post offices across Canada. Designer Chris Candlish of Cambridge, Ontario took a historical approach to the design of this stamp. The Provincial Archives of Manitoba provided a black-and-white photo (taken c1910) of the Stonewall post office managed by Stratton, to which Candlish added sepia toning. He also added a reproduction of an original 2¢ Queen Victoria carmine stamp, which was used for the domestic 1st class rate and Empire rate in 1902, and a cancellation showing the date 'JL 06 1902,' the date Stratton met with McLean. The CPAA logo is also featured. The unique layout of the 16-stamp pane includes three 8 mm gutters and a 16 mm inscription forming the selvedge. The top left corner of the 2¢ stamp blends with the top inscription and into the three gutters.

Canada Post Corporation. Canada's Stamp Details, Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002, p. 6-7.

Canada #77

A new 2-cent stamp in carmine color was issued to replace the purple 2- cent stamp of this series, upon exhaustion of the stock of surcharged stamps. The decorative and symbolic use of the maple leaves on the Diamond Jubilee commemorative and the regular issues of 1897 met with instant public approval. However, the designers of the Maple Leaves issue failed to give sufficient prominence to the denominations in words rather than figures.


The purple 2- cent stamp #68	The new 2-cent stamp in carmine #77

As a result, the public was not able to distinguish the face values quickly. The Post Office Department accordingly modified the design and prepared a new issue of postage stamps. Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, from a photograph by Messrs. W. & D. Downey, London, England, and taken in 1897 for the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee.

Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Canada's Postage Stamps. Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1964, p. 36, 40.

#1956A

Scott: #2041-2P

Issued: 28.5.2004

Pioneers of Transatlantic Mail

%239 Inside #2042: Canada #9O

In 1854 reduced postal rates between Canada and the United Kingdom created a demand for two new denominations in postage stamps; 10- pence and 7 ½-pence. The Postmaster General's Report of 31st March, 1854, announced in part the reduction of postal rates affecting the overseas mail to the United Kingdom. The mail of one-half ounce for each letter sent by packet ships from Halifax was charged at the reduced rate of 6-pence sterling equal to 7 ½-pence in currency. The rate was also reduced from 1-shilling and 2- pence sterling to 8-pence sterling on mail sent overseas by way of the United States. When W.H. Griffin wrote to the security printers he sketched a suggested design of the 10-penny stamps: "It would promote the public convenience to procure postage stamps of the value of 10-pence and 7 ½ pence to correspond with the packet letter charges." While these reductions were made in sterling the people in the Province of Canada were being drastically restricted by the confusion of money with its varying degrees of valuation. The Province of that time did not have a currency of its own. Sterling was of higher value than the monetary exchange commonly referred to as currency. For that reason, the new stamps in 10-pence has an additional inscription of 8-pence stg (sterling). The 7 ½-pence stamps were inscribed "Six Pence Sterling" in the oval frame of Queen Victoria's portrait. Portrait of Queen Victoria from the Chalon painting similar to the 12- pence stamps of 1851. Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Victoria reproduced from a contemporary engraving of a full-length painting by Alfred Edward Chalon, R.A. Although this work of art portrays the young Queen in her robes of state, merely the head appears in various British colonial postage stamp designs, including the 7 ½-pence for the Province of Canada. On the occasion of Queen Victoria's first visit to the House of Lords, she commissioned Mr. Chalon to paint this portrait as a gift to her mother, the Duchess of Kent. The memorable event was the prorogation of Parliament on 17th July, 1837, the year of the Queen's accession to the throne.

Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Canada's Postage Stamps. Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1964, p. 9-11.

%2327 Inside #2042: Canada #27O

Scott: #2042aO

Until the middle of the 19th century, there was no easy way for new Canadians to communicate with family and friends from the old country. The transatlantic mails depended on slow and irregular sailing ships, and post offices were few and far between. For most Canadian immigrants, living on Canadian soil meant being completely cut off from the loved ones they had left behind. Shipping magnates and business leaders Sir Samuel Cunard and Sir Hugh Allan changed this by introducing transatlantic mail service via their ocean-going steam vessels. In honour of these pioneers, Canada Post will issue a se tenant pair of commemorative stamps featuring them on May 28, 2004. Created by stamp design veterans Dennis Page and Oliver Hill of Page&Wood in Halifax and veteran illustrator Bonnie Ross, the stamp has been created to not only celebrate the two men, but also the 19th century milestone of fast, regular transatlantic postal service. As such, the design depicts the growing volume of mail that began to cross the Atlantic by steamship at this time. Photographs of actual letters from these trips fill the lower portion of the frame. Portraits of both Sir Samuel Cunard and Sir Hugh Allan, illustrated in a popular formalized period style, present images of the two shipping magnates in a heroic fashion. Images of the two ships, Cunard's Britannia and Allan's North American, are depicted on route, as they determinedly brave the rough Atlantic seas. The cancellation marks represent the dates of the arrival of Curnard's Britannia in Halifax and the departure of Allan's North American from Liverpool. According to Design Manager of Stamp Products Danielle Trottier, "these commemoratives not only depict history, but are themselves a piece of history in that they are part of Canada Post's first self-adhesive perforated pane".

Merchant and shipowner Sir Samuel Cunard was born in Halifax on November 21, 1787. He first partnered with his father in the timber trade, and through his interests in whaling, timber, coal, iron and shipping, he amassed a great personal fortune in the 1830s. In 1825, he co-founded the Halifax Banking Company and in 1839, made a submission to the British government to start regular transatlantic mail service by steamship from Liverpool, England to Halifax, Quebec City and Boston, at a cost of 55,000 pounds a year, for 10 years. The first crossing was made in May 1840, but regular mail service began in July with the Britannia, a paddlewheel steamship which sailed from Liverpool to Halifax and then on to Boston in a total of 14 days and 8 hours.

For more information on Sir Samuel Cunard, see http://cunardsteamshipsociety.com/

Sir Hugh Allan established a transatlantic mail route between Canada and Britain in 1856. Allan was a shipping magnate, railway developer and financier, born in Saltcoats, Scotland on September 29, 1810. In 1826, he immigrated to Canada and settled in Montreal where he found a job as a clerk in a commercial goods business. Ten years later, in 1836, backed by family funding, he bought steamships and sailing ships to expand the company's merchant fleet. Allan persuaded the Canadian government to finance the transatlantic lines linking Montreal with Britain through contracts to carry the mail (1853). But when the contract was awarded to Liverpool shipowners McKean, McClary and Lamont, Allan considered them unqualified to handle the work. In 1856 with improved ships, Allan managed to wrest the contract away from his competitors.

For information on Sir Hugh Allan, visit www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/people/famousfirst676.html

Canada Post Corporation. Canada's Stamp Details, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2004, p. 24-25.

2005

Scott: #2119P

Issued: 15.8.2005

250^th Anniversary Acadian Deportation

Beginning in 1755, thousands of settlers were deported from their native Acadia (Nova Scotia) to the British colonies of North America. To mark the 250th anniversary of the deportation, Canada Post will issue a single domestic rate (50¢) commemorative stamp on August 15, Acadian National Day. This is the second time Canada has commemorated the Acadian deportation with a stamp. In 1930, the "Grand-Prי" stamp was issued to mark its 175th anniversary. Danielle Trottier, Manager, Stamp Design and Production at Canada Post, says the Stamp Advisory Committee proposed the "stamp on stamp" concept for the issue. "This was such a significant event in Canadian history, and particularly for the Acadian community. We felt it would be fitting to showcase our previous commemorative stamp in the new issue. Coincidentally, both stamps - from then and now - bear the 50-cent rate." Canada Post commissioned graphic artist Pierre-Yves Pelletier for the stamp design. A "seasoned pro" with 110 stamps to his credit, Pelletier, of Beloeil, Quebec, was excited and challenged by the project. "The Acadian community, naturally, is sensitive to its past and I wanted to pay tribute to their heritage and to what they have been through." The original "Grand-Prי" stamp portrays the famous statue of Evangeline and the Acadian chapel at Grand-Prי National Historic Site. Pelletier scanned the mint condition 1930 stamp and illustrated the Acadian flag in motion. A backdrop of waves, in a five per cent screen, represents the sea voyage. "For me, the flag is the symbol and this is what I focused on," explains Pelletier. The Acadian flag was established at the Second Acadian Convention in 1884. It is a French flag - tricolour blue, white, and red - with a gold star at the top left. The star, Stella Maris, is the star of the sea and symbolizes the wanderings of the Acadians through the storms and dangers of life. "It was important to keep the design simple and clean. The colourful flag works well with the dark blue of the old stamp and its perforated edges. The waves are in a very light screen so as not to detract from the main element, which is the flag. The stamp on stamp was a good idea for this issue."

Canada Post Corporation. Canada's Stamp Details, Vol. 14, No. 3, 2005, p. 20-21.

%23176 Inside #2119: Canada #176O

As a result of the change of the postage stamp contract of 1st April, 1930, the Department required a new series of stamps of the higher denominations. The policy of depicting representative phases of the character of Canada was continued in the designs for this series. View of Grand Prי, Nova Scotia the home of Evangeline, heroine of Longfellow's famous poem of that name. The view is a composite one, taken from photographs, and shows the museum, statue of Evangeline, and the ancient well, grouped together for pictorial effect. The grounds and buildings are maintained as a national shrine of Acadian relics.

Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Canada's Postage Stamps. Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1964, p. 60-61.

Issued: 10.1.2010

Le Devoir Commemorative Envelope

Inside #????: Canada #485P

On January 10, 1910, Le Devoir founder Henri Bourassa made a bold statement on the front page of the paper’s inaugural edition. The independent Montréal-based daily’s headline proclaimed that “to ensure the triumph of ideas over appetites, of the public good over partisan interests, there is but one means: to awaken in people, and especially in the ruling classes, a sense of public duty in all its forms.”

For the past 100 years, Le Devoir has remained faithful to Bourassa’s mandate. The paper remains free of any particular ideology or politic, and through its unwillingness to bow to power, it has become the advocate of public ethics, social progress and the rights and freedoms of everyday citizens. It has defended the French language throughout Canada and chronicled the evolution of Québec’s culture. Le Devoir’s unwavering commitment to journalistic excellence and integrity has transformed the newspaper into an institution, with a reputation revered throughout the Francophone world.

The commemorative envelope was designed by Christian Tiffet, the artistic director for Le Devoir. “I wanted to create a visual that would illustrate the strong presence Le Devoir has had in Québec society for the past 100 years,” says Tiffet. The photographs featured speak to the passage of time, from 1910 to today, and the ways in which the institution has adapted to change. Tiffet explains, “Recent editions of Le Devoir and its web page, its modern product, are featured alongside an image of Le Devoir’s first publishing house, which, along with the lead typography that runs across the top of the envelope, recall the institution’s beginnings and evoke its long history.” The envelope also features Le Devoir’s centennial logo, designed by Tiffet, and a Picture Postage™ stamp that recreates the 1968 commemorative issued to honour Henri Bourassa.

As Le Devoir enters its second century with new opportunities made possible by innovations in information technology, it remains inspired by its founder’s values of liberty, equality, solidarity and integrity. The only independent newspaper in Québec, Le Devoir is free thinking defined.

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/collecting/stamps/2010/2010_Le_Devoir.jsf

Thanks to Lloyd Gilbert

Scott: #2468 Scott: #2469

Scott: #2469aP

Issued: 13.5.2011

Methods of Mail Delivery

Inside #2468: Canada #141P

(on cover, dog sled mail stamp)

Inside #2468: Canada #196P

Inside #2468: Canada postal card #H&G 17O (on barrel mail stamp)

Inside #2469 (and in margin): Canada #69P

(on cover, dog sled mail stamp and top margin of sheet)

Inside #2469: Canada #219P (on cover, dog sled mail stamp)

Inside #2469: U.S. postal card #UX7O (on dog sled mail stamp)

Scott: #????O

Inside #????: Other TBI

(Thanks to Mike Knopfler for the scan)

Given Canada’s sometimes daunting landscapes and often extreme weather, delivering the mail has, at times, required a little ingenuity. These stamps honour Canada Post’s history and depict the role of mail delivery in the development of our nation.

Thanks to Lou Guadagno

Scott: #2513O

Issued: 16.01.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee (Decade 1: 1952-1962)

Inside #2513: Canada #330P

Scott: #2513O

Thanks to Prof. Plinio Richelmi and to Lou Guadagno

The first of five Diamond Jubilee four-stamp mini-panes, featuring a stamp-on-stamp design using The Queen's Coronation stamp issued June 1, 1953.

Scott: #2514O

Issued: 06.02.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee (Decade 2: 1963-1972)

Inside #2514: Canada #471P

Scott: #2514O

Thanks to Lloyd Gilbert and Prof. Plinio Richelmi

The second of five Diamond Jubilee mini-panes of four stamps features a stamp-on-stamp design using the Queen's Royal Visit stamp issued in 1967.

Scott: #2515P

Issued: 06.03.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee (Decade 3: 1973-1982)

Inside #2515: Canada #704P

Scott: #2515O

Thanks to Lloyd Gilbert and Prof. Plinio Richelmi

Scott: #2516O

Issued: 10.04.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee (Decade 4: 1983-1992)

Inside #2516: Canada #1168P

Thanks to Lloyd Gilbert

Scott: #2517O

Issued: 07.05.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee (Decade 5: 1993-2002)

Inside #2517: Canada #1932P

Scott: #2540P

Issued: 07.05.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee

Inside #2540: Canada #62O

Inside #2540: Canada #340P

Scott: #????O

Scott: #2540aP

Thanks to Lloyd Gilbert and to Lou Guadagno

This souvenir sheet was inspired by the design of the $2 Queen Elizabeth II stamp and features a magnified image of the young Queen Elizabeth. The stamp features an image of a young Queen Elizabeth II facing a more recent photograph of Her Majesty.

This year, the Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee. This rare milestone was much-awaited by philatelists and collectors. To mark 60 years of The Queen's reign, the Canada Post Diamond Jubilee series offers stunning collectibles.

In 1897, the Post Office Department of the Government of Canada celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria—the only other Monarch of Canada to achieve the 60-year milestone—with an engraved stamp. The design featured a portrait of the young queen as well as one created at the time of Queen Victoria’s 60th anniversary. This stamp remains a classic for collectors. This stamp mirrors the design of the 1897 Queen Victoria stamp. It’s engraved and printed in a similar purple colour, and features an image of a young Queen Elizabeth II facing a more recent photograph of Her Majesty.

The design of the souvenir sheet was inspired by the stamp and features a magnified image of the young Queen Elizabeth that highlights the craftsmanship that went into creating the intricate design of the stamp.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen came to the throne on February 6, 1952. Her coronation took place on June 2, 1953.

Her Majesty celebrated her Silver Jubilee (25 years) in 1977 and her Golden Jubilee (50 years) in 2002.

A Diamond Jubilee is a rare milestone. Queen Elizabeth II is only the second British Monarch to reign for 60 years. Her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria—who celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1897—was the first.

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