Indigenous Leaders (Canada 2024)

Latest update: 30 June

by Danforth Guy
Virtual Stamp Club Special Contributor

The third annual installment of the Indigenous Leaders series will be issued on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day. As with the previous issues, this one comprises three stamps at the ‘P’ rate (which will be 99¢). Each will come in its own booklet of 6 self-adhesives.

We have deduced two of the three subjects of this issue:

  • Josephine Mandamin, who walked some 25,000 miles around the shores of each of the Great Lakes carrying a bucket of water to promote unpolluted waters. First day issue location: Wikwemikong, ON
  • Elisape Isaac, an Inuk musician, filmmaker, and activist who spent her childhood in Salluit, in the far north of Quebec, which is the first day location for the stamp.

Photo: a proposal to put Josephine Mandamin on the $20 bill is part of the Change the Bill campaign to honour a historic Canadian instead of the British monarch on our most-used banknote — a place no Canadian has ever appeared!

Earlier Indigenous Peoples issues:

Additional information on this issue will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.


Click to go to the press release for the stamp for each leader:

ElisapieMandaminBellcourt

Updated 30th June:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
New stamp recognizes Métis artist and environmentalist Christi Belcourt
Belcourt’s paintings capture her heritage and environmental advocacy

OTTAWA – At an event in Ottawa, Canada Post celebrated a new stamp recognizing Métis visual artist and environmentalist, Christi Belcourt.

Known for her intricate paintings that emulate Métis floral beadwork, Belcourt uses her talent to celebrate nature, honour her ancestors, advocate for the protection of land and water, and support Indigenous knowledge, culture and language.

This stamp is one of three Indigenous Leaders stamps that were released on June 21. The set is the third in Canada Post’s multi-year Indigenous Leaders series.

Belcourt’s life and legacy
Born in Scarborough, Ontario in 1966, and raised in Ottawa, Belcourt is a descendant of the Métis community of Manitow Sâkahikan (Lac Ste. Anne) in Alberta. She works in a variety of media but is best known for her large floral paintings, which draw inspiration from traditional Métis floral beadwork and pay homage to her Métis heritage and the natural world.

Belcourt’s work has been featured in exhibitions across North America and is found in the permanent collections of major Canadian galleries, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Gabriel Dumont Institute. In honour of residential school Survivors and their descendants, Belcourt designed a stained-glass window called Giniigaaniimenaaning (Looking Ahead), which was installed at the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa.

The power of Belcourt’s art lies in both its beauty and message. Among her most poignant works is Walking With Our Sisters, a memorial installation of more than 2,000 pairs of beaded moccasin tops honouring the lives of missing or murdered Indigenous women, Two-Spirit people and children. As co-founder of the community-based Onaman Collective, she volunteers her time to create resources and space for land-based Indigenous practices, including language revitalization.

Belcourt’s many awards include a Jim Brady Memorial Medal of Excellence (2023), an Artist Award from the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts (Ontario, 2016), a Governor General’s Innovation Award (2016), the 2014 Ontario Arts Council Aboriginal Arts Award and an Aboriginal Leadership Award, a category of the Influential Women of Northern Ontario Awards (2014). She also received two honorary doctorate degrees from Algoma University and Wilfrid Laurier University, both in 2023.

About the stamp
Cancelled in Ottawa (where Belcourt was raised), this stamp features an illustration of Belcourt that was created by her. The background shows detail from her painting, Reverence for Life.

The cancellation image is a line drawing inspired by Belcourt’s painting style.

Updated 13th June:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
New stamp pays tribute to Anishinaabe Elder and world-renowned water-rights activist Josephine Mandamin
Mandamin co-founded the Mother Earth Water Walk movement to promote water rights for Indigenous communities

THUNDER BAY, Ontario – Today at an event in Thunder Bay, Canada Post unveiled a stamp honouring Anishinaabe Elder and world-renowned water-rights activist, Josephine Mandamin.

Known as Grandmother Water Walker, Mandamin (1942-2019) trekked more than 25,000 kilometres to draw attention to issues of water pollution and environmental degradation in the Great Lakes and on First Nations reserves across the country.

This stamp is one of three Indigenous Leaders stamps that will be released on June 21. The set is the third in Canada Post’s multi-year Indigenous Leaders series.

Mandamin’s life and legacy
Born in 1942 on the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ont., Mandamin was a residential school Survivor who attended St. Joseph’s School for Girls. In 1979, she and her husband moved to Thunder Bay, where she worked providing support to Indigenous youth and to women and children escaping domestic violence.

Mandamin was a fourth-degree member of the Three Fires Midewiwin Healing Society and its Grandmothers Council, where she served as a spiritual adviser and healer. She performed healing ceremonies and taught others about Anishinaabe language and culture, and how to maintain a respectful relationship with Mother Earth. She also spent many years as the Anishinabek Nation Chief Water Commissioner.

Mandamin’s family at the ceremony

In 2002, Mandamin and a group of other Anishinaabeg founded the Mother Earth Water Walk movement to encourage people to protect water from pollution and other threats.

Regina Mandamin, daughter of Josephine Mandamin

Between 2003 and 2017, she led walks along the shores of waterways in Canada and the United States where she sang, prayed and shared the traditional ceremonies and knowledge of her people.

Since her passing in 2019, Mandamin’s legacy lives on through community water walks and the efforts of the Anishinaabe women she mentored. Her many honours included the Meritorious Service Cross – Civil Division (2017) for her contributions to Indigenous leadership and reconciliation, and the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation (2015).

About the stamp
Cancelled in Wiikwemkoong, Ont. (Mandamin’s birthplace), this stamp features a photo of Mandamin. Along the bottom of the stamp is a stylized illustration of water.

The cancellation mark is a stylized image of the ripples emanating from a droplet of water. The dynamic rings reference Mandamin’s work to protect water, rippling outward from the

centre in the same way that her legacy continues to inspire.

On the left: Dr. Elder Shirley Williams, speaking at the ceremony. Event photos courtesy Canada Post.

The Canada Post video is below:

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Un nouveau timbre rend hommage à l’aînée anishinaabe Josephine Mandamin, défenseure du droit à l’eau de renommée mondiale
Josephine Mandamin a cofondé le mouvement Mother Earth Water Walk afin de promouvoir le droit à l’eau des communautés autochtone

THUNDER BAY, Ontario – Lors d’un événement qui s’est tenu à Thunder Bay aujourd’hui, Postes Canada a dévoilé un timbre en l’honneur de l’aînée anishinaabe Josephine Mandamin, défenseure du droit à l’eau connue partout dans le monde.

Connue sous le nom de grand-mère Josephine ou grand-mère marcheuse d’eau, Josephine Mandamin (1942-2019) a marché plus de 25 000 kilomètres afin d’attirer l’attention sur les problèmes de pollution de l’eau et de dégradation de l’environnement dans les Grands Lacs et les réserves autochtones à l’échelle du pays.

Cette vignette fait partie d’un jeu de trois timbres consacrés à des leaders autochtones, qui seront émis le 21 juin. Il s’agit du troisième volet de la série pluriannuelle de Postes Canada rendant hommage à des leaders autochtones.

La vie et l’héritage de Josephine Mandamin
Née en 1942 sur le territoire non cédé de Wiikwemkoong, sur l’île Manitoulin, en Ontario, Josephine Mandamin est survivante d’un pensionnat, la St. Joseph’s School for Girls. En 1979, elle et son mari déménagent à Thunder Bay, où elle offre du soutien aux jeunes Autochtones, et aux femmes et enfants qui fuient la violence familiale.

Mandamin’s family at the ceremony

Josephine Mandamin est membre au quatrième degré de la Three Fires Midewiwin Healing Society et de son Conseil des grands-mères, où elle est conseillère spirituelle et

Regina Mandamin, daughter of Josephine Mandamin

guérisseuse. En plus de pratiquer des cérémonies de guérison, elle enseigne la langue et la culture anishinaabe, et les façons d’entretenir une relation respectueuse avec la Terre mère. Elle est également commissaire en chef des eaux de la Nation Anishinabek pendant plusieurs années.

En 2002, Josephine Mandamin et d’autres femmes anishinaabe fondent le mouvement Mother Earth Water Walk afin d’inciter les gens à protéger l’eau contre la pollution et d’autres menaces. Entre 2003 et 2017, elle dirige des marches sur les rives de cours d’eau au Canada et aux États-Unis, où elle chante, prie et partage avec les gens des

Dr. Elder Shirley Williams

cérémonies et des connaissances traditionnelles de son peuple.

Depuis son décès en 2019, son héritage se perpétue grâce aux marches communautaires pour l’eau et aux femmes anishinaabe qu’elle mentore au cours de sa vie. Josephine Mandamin reçoit maints honneurs, dont la Croix du service méritoire – division civile (2017) pour sa contribution au leadership autochtone et à la réconciliation, et le Prix du lieutenant-gouverneur pour l’excellence en matière de conservation du patrimoine ontarien (2015).

À propos du timbre
Oblitéré à Wiikwemkoong, en Ontario, le lieu de naissance de Josephine Mandamin, le timbre présente une photo de l’aînée. Au bas de la vignette, une illustration stylisée représente de l’eau.

Le cachet d’oblitération est une image stylisée des ondulations d’une goutte d’eau, qui font référence au travail de Josephine Mandamin pour la protection de l’eau et à son héritage qui se perpétue, tout comme les ronds dans l’eau qui s’étendent du centre vers l’extérieur.

Updated 13th June:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
New stamp honours Inuk singer-songwriter, filmmaker and activist Elisapie
Elisapie uses her voice to raise awareness of Inuit culture and traditions

MONTRÉAL – Today, Canada Post unveiled a stamp honouring Elisapie, an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, director, producer and activist.

The talented storyteller, who writes and sings in Inuktitut, English and French, has devoted her life to sharing and raising awareness of Inuit language, traditions and culture through her many artistic endeavours.

This stamp is one of three Indigenous Leaders stamps that will be released on June 21. The set is the third in Canada Post’s multi-year Indigenous Leaders series.

Elisapie’s life and legacy
Born Elisapie Isaac in 1977 in the remote community of Salluit, in Nunavik (northern Quebec), Elisapie sang in church and performed on stage with her uncle’s band in her youth. After moving to Montréal to study communications, she wrote and directed the prize-winning documentary short, Sila piqujippat (If the Weather Permits, 2003) and won a JUNO Award as part of the musical duo Taima.

Elisapie’s love for her Inuit homeland and culture is entrenched in her work, including four solo albums: There Will Be Stars (2009), Travelling Love (2012), The Ballad of the Runaway Girl (2018) and Inuktitut (2023). The latter earned her a second JUNO Award for Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year. In 2021, she created and produced Le grand solstice for Radio-Canada – a musical and cultural celebration televised annually to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Elisapie currently lives in Montréal but frequently returns to Salluit to visit friends and family. Her many awards and honours include the Ambassador Prize at the 2011 Teweikan Awards for her work as an artist and activist; the Félix Award for Indigenous Artist of the Year (2020); being named Compagne des arts et des lettres du Québec (2021); and receiving an honorary doctorate from Concordia University (2023).

About the stamp
Cancelled in Salluit, Quebec (Elisapie’s birthplace), this stamp features a studio portrait of her. The background is a landscape photo of the Nunavik region of northern Quebec where Elisapie was born and raised.

The cancellation mark is an image of a tattoo Elisapie has on her hand.

About the Indigenous Leaders stamp series
Launched in 2022, the multi-year Indigenous Leaders series celebrates First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders who dedicated their lives to preserving their culture and improving the quality of life of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

This year, Canada Post will issue three stamps on National Indigenous Peoples Day in honour of Indigenous leaders Elisapie, Josephine Mandamin and Christi Belcourt. Two other stamp events will be held this month:

  • On Tuesday, June 18, the stamp commemorating Josephine Mandamin will be revealed at an event in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
  • On Tuesday, June 25, the stamp recognizing Christi Belcourt will be celebrated at an event in Ottawa.

The new stamps and collectibles will be available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada starting June 21.

Canada Post video:

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Un nouveau timbre rend hommage à Elisapie, autrice compositrice interprète, cinéaste et activiste inuk
Avec sa voix, l’artiste fait rayonner la culture et les traditions inuit

MONTRÉAL , le 13 juin 2024 /CNW/ – Postes Canada a dévoilé aujourd’hui un timbre en l’honneur d’Elisapie, autrice-compositrice-interprète primée, actrice, réalisatrice, productrice et activiste.

La conteuse talentueuse, qui écrit et chante en inuktitut, en anglais et en français, se voue à faire rayonner la langue, les traditions et la culture inuit par ses nombreuses œuvres artistiques.

Cette vignette fait partie d’un jeu de trois timbres consacrés à des leaders autochtones, qui seront émis le 21 juin. Il s’agit du troisième volet de la série pluriannuelle de Postes Canada rendant hommage à des leaders autochtones.

La vie et l’héritage d’Elisapie
Née Elisapie Isaac en 1977 dans le village éloigné de Salluit, au Nunavik, la région la plus au nord du Québec, Elisapie chante à l’église et fait partie du groupe de son oncle dans sa jeunesse. Après avoir déménagé à Montréal pour se consacrer aux communications, elle écrit et réalise le court-métrage documentaire primé Sila piqujipat (Si le temps le permet, 2003) et son duo musical Taima remporte un prix JUNO.

L’attachement d’Elisapie à sa terre natale et à la culture inuit transparaît dans son œuvre, y compris ses quatre albums solos : There Will Be Stars (2009), Travelling Love (2012), The Ballad of the Runaway Girl (2018) et Inuktitut (2023). Ce dernier lui vaut un deuxième prix JUNO, cette fois-ci dans la catégorie Artiste ou groupe autochtone contemporain de l’année. En 2021, elle crée et produit le spectacle Le grand solstice, une célébration musicale et culturelle télévisée qui souligne chaque année la Journée nationale des peuples autochtones.

Elisapie vit actuellement à Montréal, mais retourne souvent à Salluitpour rendre visite à ses proches. Elle reçoit de nombreux honneurs, dont le prix Ambassadeur (2011) au Gala Teweikan pour son travail d’artiste et son activisme, et le Félix de l’artiste autochtone de l’année (2020). De plus, elle est nommée Compagne des arts et des lettres du Québec (2021) et reçoit un doctorat honorifique de l’Université Concordia (2023).

À propos du timbre
Oblitéré à Salluit, au Québec, le lieu de naissance d’Elisapie, ce timbre présente un portrait d’elle en studio. L’arrière-plan est une photo de paysage du Nunavik, la région du nord du Québec où elle naît et grandit.

Le cachet d’oblitération est une image d’un tatouage que porte Elisapie sur l’une de ses mains.

À propos de la série sur les leaders autochtones
Lancée en 2022, la série pluriannuelle met en vedette des leaders inuit, métis et des Premières Nations qui ont consacré leur vie à préserver leur culture et à améliorer la qualité de vie des peuples autochtones au Canada.

Cette année, Postes Canada émettra trois timbres en l’honneur d’Elisapie, de Josephine Mandamin et de Christi Belcourt à l’occasion de la Journée nationale des peuples autochtones. Deux autres lancements auront lieu ce mois-ci :

  • Le mardi 18 juin, le timbre commémorant Josephine Mandamin sera dévoilé lors d’un événement à Thunder Bay, en Ontario.
  • Le mardi 25 juin, la vignette consacrée à Christi Belcourt sera célébrée lors d’un événement à Ottawa.

Les timbres et les articles de collection seront en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays dès le 21 juin.

Video en Francais:

Updated 6th June:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]

Canada Post to unveil stamp celebrating Elisapie, the first of the three in stamp series honouring Indigenous leaders

MONTREAL, June 6, 2024 /CNW/ – On National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21), Canada Post will issue a new set of stamps honouring three Indigenous leaders. Elisapie, Josephine Mandamin and Christi Belcourt will each be featured on a stamp in recognition of their environmental advocacy and championing the rights and cultures of their Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities.

Elisapie is an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, director, producer and activist from Salluit, Nunavik, in northern Quebec. Singing and writing in Inuktitut, English and French, she has devoted her life to raising awareness of Inuit language, heritage and culture through her many artistic endeavours. Her stamp will be unveiled in Montréal on Thursday, June 13.

The upcoming stamp set is the third in Canada Post’s Indigenous Leaders stamp series. Launched in 2022, the series highlights the contributions of modern-day First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders who have dedicated their lives to preserving their cultures and improving the quality of life of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

The stamps will each be unveiled and celebrated at separate local events. The unveilings of the stamps honouring Josephine Mandamin and Christi Belcourt will take place on June 18 and June 25, respectively.

WHAT: Elisapie stamp unveiling event

SPECIAL GUESTS:
Elisapie
Family and friends of Elisapie
Marie-Claude Pagé, General Manager, Human Resources Partner, Canada Post
Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, District Mayor Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

WHERE: McCord Stewart Museum, 690 Sherbrooke St. W., Montréal, Quebec, H3A 1E9

WHEN: Thursday, June 13 at 5 pm EDT

Other stamps in this issue
Josephine Mandamin’s stamp will be unveiled on June 18 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, while a celebration of Christi Belcourt’s stamp will take place on June 25 in Ottawa.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Postes Canada dévoilera un timbre consacré à Elisapie, le premier des trois de l’émission de cette année rendant hommage aux leaders autochtones

MONTRÉAL, le 6 juin 2024 /CNW/ – À l’occasion de la Journée nationale des peuples autochtones (le 21 juin), Postes Canada émettra un nouveau jeu de timbres pour rendre hommage à trois leaders autochtones. Elisapie, Josephine Mandamin et Christi Belcourt seront chacune en vedette sur un timbre émis en reconnaissance de leur action militante pour l’environnement et les droits et la culture des communautés inuit, des Premières Nations et métisses.

Elisapie est une autrice-compositrice-interprète primée, actrice, réalisatrice, productrice et activiste de Salluit, au Nunavik, la région la plus au nord du Québec. Écrivant et chantant en inuktitut, en anglais et en français, elle fait rayonner la langue, la mémoire et la culture inuit par ses nombreuses œuvres artistiques. Son timbre sera dévoilé à Montréal le jeudi 13 juin.

Les timbres de ce jeu formeront le troisième volet de la série de Postes Canada consacrée aux leaders autochtones. Lancée en 2022, la série souligne les contributions de leaders inuit, métis et des Premières Nations modernes qui ont consacré leur vie à préserver leur culture et à améliorer la qualité de vie des peuples autochtones au Canada.

Les vignettes seront dévoilées et célébrées lors d’événements locaux distincts. Les dévoilements de celles en l’honneur de Josephine Mandamin et de Christi Belcourt auront lieu respectivement le 18 et le 25 juin.

QUOI: Dévoilement du timbre consacré à Elisapie

AVEC LA PARTICIPATION SPÉCIALE DE:
Elisapie
Proches d’Elisapie
Marie-Claude Pagé, directrice générale des Ressources humaines
Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, mairesse de l’arrondissement de Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

OÙ: Musée McCord Stewart, 690 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal (Québec), H3A 1E9

QUAND: le jeudi 13 juin, à 17 h (HE)

Autres timbres de cette émission
Le timbre rendant hommage à Josephine Mandamin sera dévoilé le 18 juin à Thunder Bay, en Ontario, tandis qu’une célébration du timbre consacré à Christi Belcourt aura lieu le 25 juin à Ottawa.

Updated 5th June:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Canada Post issues third stamp set honouring Indigenous leaders

Stamps will feature Elisapie, Josephine Mandamin and Christi Belcourt

OTTAWA, ON, June 5, 2024 /CNW/ – For the third consecutive year, Canada Post will celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21 by issuing three stamps honouring Indigenous leaders.

Elisapie, Josephine Mandamin and Christi Belcourt will each be featured on a stamp for their environmental advocacy and championing the rights and cultures of their Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities.

The multi-year stamp series, launched in 2022, recognizes Indigenous leaders who have dedicated their lives to preserving their culture and improving the quality of life of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Each stamp will be unveiled and celebrated at local events in Montréal, Quebec, and Thunder Bay and Ottawa, Ontario.

Elisapie stamp unveiling event: Thursday, June 13, 5 pm, ET, Montréal
Elisapie (b. Elisapie Isaac, 1977) is an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, director, producer and activist from Salluit, in Nunavik (northern Quebec). A talented storyteller who writes and sings in Inuktitut, English and French, she has devoted her life to raising awareness of Inuit language, heritage and culture through many artistic endeavours. Elisapie earned her second JUNO Award in 2024 for Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year for her album, Inuktitut. She is also an acclaimed documentarian, multi-Félix Award winner and creator of Le grand solstice, a musical and cultural celebration televised annually for National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Josephine Mandamin stamp unveiling event: Tuesday, June 18, 11 am, ET, Thunder Bay
Josephine Mandamin (1942-2019) was born on the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ont. A residential school Survivor, Mandamin was an Anishinaabe Elder and world-renowned water-rights activist. Known as Grandmother Water Walker, Mandamin co-founded the Mother Earth Water Walk movement to draw attention to the issues of water pollution and environmental degradation in the Great Lakes and on First Nations reserves across the country. Among her many accolades are the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation (2015) and the Meritorious Service Cross – Civil Division (2017). Since her passing in 2019, Mandamin’s legacy has continued through community water walks and the efforts of the dedicated Anishinaabe women she mentored.

Christi Belcourt stamp celebration: Tuesday, June 25, 11 am, ET, Ottawa
Christi Belcourt (b. 1966) is a Métis visual artist and environmentalist known for her intricate paintings that emulate Métis floral beadwork. Born in Scarborough, Ont. and raised in Ottawa, she is a descendant of the Métis community of Manitow Sâkahikan (Lac Ste. Anne) in Alberta. Belcourt uses her talent to celebrate nature, honour her ancestors, advocate for the protection of land and water, and support Indigenous knowledge, culture and language. Among her most poignant works is Walking With Our Sisters, an installation of more than 2,000 pairs of beaded moccasin tops honouring the lives of missing or murdered Indigenous women, Two-Spirit people and children.

The new stamps and collectibles will be available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada starting June 21.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Postes Canada émet un troisième jeu de timbres rendant hommage à des leaders autochtones

Les timbres mettront en vedette Elisapie, Josephine Mandamin et Christi Belcourt.

OTTAWA, ON, le 5 juin 2024 /CNW/ – Pour la troisième année consécutive, Postes Canada soulignera la Journée nationale des peuples autochtones le 21 juin en émettant trois timbres qui rendent hommage à trois leaders autochtones.

Elisapie, Josephine Mandamin et Christi Belcourt seront chacune en vedette sur une vignette émise en reconnaissance de leur dévouement à la défense de l’environnement, ainsi que des droits et de la culture de leur communauté respective, soit les Inuit, les Premières Nations et les Métis.

Lancée en 2022, la série pluriannuelle présente des leaders autochtones qui ont consacré leur vie à préserver leur culture et à améliorer la qualité de vie des peuples autochtones au Canada. Chaque timbre sera dévoilé et célébré à l’occasion d’événements qui se tiendront à Montréal, au Québec, ainsi qu’à Thunder Bay et à Ottawa, en Ontario.

Dévoilement du timbre consacré à Elisapie : le jeudi 13 juin, à 17 h (HE), à Montréal
Elisapie (née Elisapie Isaac, en 1977) est une auteure-compositrice-interprète, actrice, réalisatrice, productrice et activiste de Salluit, au Nunavik, la région la plus au nord du Québec. Artiste talentueuse qui écrit et chante en inuktitut, en anglais et en français, elle consacre sa vie à la sensibilisation à la langue, à la mémoire et à la culture inuit grâce à de nombreux projets. En 2024, elle remporte un prix JUNO, son deuxième, dans la catégorie Artiste ou groupe autochtone contemporain de l’année pour son album Inuktitut. Documentariste reconnue et gagnante de plusieurs prix Félix, Elisapie est aussi la créatrice du spectacle Le grand solstice, une célébration musicale et culturelle télévisée qui souligne chaque année la Journée nationale des peuples autochtones.

Dévoilement du timbre consacré à Josephine Mandamin : le mardi 18 juin, à 11 h (HE), à Thunder Bay
Josephine Mandamin (1942-2019) voit le jour sur le territoire non cédé de Wiikwemkoong, sur l’île Manitoulin, en Ontario. Survivante d’un pensionnat, l’aînée anishinaabe et défenseure du droit à l’eau est connue partout dans le monde sous le nom de grand-mère Joséphine ou grand-mère marcheuse d’eau. Elle cofonde le mouvement Mother Earth Water Walk afin d’attirer l’attention sur les problèmes de pollution de l’eau et de dégradation de l’environnement dans les Grands Lacs et les réserves autochtones à l’échelle du pays. Josephine Mandamin reçoit maints honneurs, dont le Prix du lieutenant-gouverneur pour l’excellence en matière de conservation du patrimoine ontarien (2015) et la Croix du service méritoire – division civile (2017). Depuis son décès en 2019, son héritage se perpétue grâce aux marches communautaires pour l’eau, ainsi qu’aux femmes anishinaabe dévouées qu’elle mentore au cours de sa vie.

Dévoilement du timbre consacré à Christi Belcourt : le mardi 25 juin, à 11 h (HE), à Ottawa
Christi Belcourt est une artiste visuelle et environnementaliste métisse reconnue pour ses peintures aux motifs complexes imitant le perlage métis. Née en 1966 à Scarborough, en Ontario, et ayant grandi à Ottawa, elle est descendante de la communauté métisse de Manitow Sâkahikan (Lac Ste. Anne) en Alberta. Christi Belcourt exploite son talent pour célébrer la nature, honorer ses ancêtres, défendre la protection de la terre et de l’eau, et soutenir le savoir, les cultures et les langues autochtones. Son œuvre collaborative Marchons avec nos sœurs compte parmi ses plus émouvantes; il s’agit d’une installation de plus de 2 000 empeignes de mocassin perlées qui honorent la vie des femmes, des personnes bispirituelles et des enfants autochtones disparus ou assassinés.

Les timbres et les articles de collection seront en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays dès le 21 juin.

Graphic Novelists (Canada 2024)

by Danforth Guy
Virtual Stamp Club Special Contributor

Graphic Novelists will be honored with four stamps coming out on May 10. The ‘P’ rate stamps, at the newly-increased price of 99¢, will be sold in booklets of 8 (likely two of each design).

We deduce that these are the folks whose work and names will be featured:

  • Jillian & Mariko Tamaki (cousins, one stamp) issued in Toronto, ON;
  • Seth, the pen name of Gregory Gallant, issued in Clinton, ON; and
  • Chester Brown, issued in Toronto;
  • Michel Rabagliati, issued in Montreal, QC

The illustrations are from This One Summer by Jillian & Mariko Tamaki
Additional information on this issue will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.


Updated May 10th:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
New stamp series celebrates Canada’s iconic graphic novelists
Stamp issue showcases four original works from some of the genre’s most influential creators

TORONTO, May 10, 2024 /CNW/ – Canada Post is pleased to unveil a stamp issue celebrating Canada’s graphic novelists. The set of four stamps features the works of Chester Brown, Michel Rabagliati, Seth, and cousins Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki – all of whom have made significant contributions to the genre and continue a long line of Canadian storytellers honoured by Canada Post.

As a narrative art form, graphic novels (which can include anthologies, memoirs and other works) have grown in popularity since finding a mainstream audience over the last half-century. Graphic novels tell rich stories by interweaving words and drawings in comic-book-like panels. The five novelists honoured on the new stamps pushed the boundaries and elevated the form, leaving a mark on readers around the globe.

The stamp issue features five influential Canadian artists:

  • Chester Brown is best known for his graphic novel, Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography, for which he received the first Canada Council for the Arts grant awarded to his genre.
  • Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki are cousins who co-created the popular graphic novel This One Summer, a powerful coming-of-age story and their second prize-winning collaboration.
  • Michel Rabagliati is the creative mind behind the award-winning semi-autobiographical Paul series. Paul à Québec (published as The Song of Roland in English) was later adapted into a movie.
  • Seth made his name with the Palookaville comic series, part of which was published as the award-winning graphic novel Clyde Fans, about two brothers struggling with the demise of their family business.

About the stamp issue

For this stamp issue, the artists collaborated with Canada Post to create original drawings of the main characters from their featured novels engrossed in their own stories. Printed by Colour Innovations, the issue includes a booklet of eight Permanent domestic rate stamps and four Official First Day Covers – one for each novel.

The stamps and collectibles are available for purchase at post offices starting today and are available now for order on canadapost.ca.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Une nouvelle série de timbres rend hommage aux artistes de romans graphiques emblématiques du Canada
L’émission de timbres présente quatre illustrations originales d’artistes de romans graphiques au talent exceptionnel

TORONTO, le 10 mai 2024 /CNW/ – Postes Canada est heureuse de dévoiler une émission de timbres rendant hommage aux artistes de romans graphiques du Canada. Le jeu de quatre timbres met en vedette les œuvres de Chester Brown, Michel Rabagliati, Seth et les cousines Jillian Tamaki et Mariko Tamaki, des artistes qui ont grandement contribué au genre et qui s’ajoutent à la longue liste de personnes honorées par Postes Canada pour leur talent à raconter des histoires.

En tant que forme d’art narrative, les romans graphiques (qui peuvent comprendre des anthologies, des mémoires et d’autres œuvres) ont gagné en popularité depuis qu’ils ont séduit le grand public au cours du dernier demi-siècle. Ils racontent des histoires en alliant dessins et textes à l’instar des bandes dessinées. Les cinq bédéistes à l’honneur sur les nouveaux timbres ont repoussé les limites et élevé cet art, inspirant leur lectorat partout dans le monde.

L’émission de timbres met en vedette cinq artistes d’influence :

  • Chester Brown est surtout connu pour son roman illustré Louis Riel, l’insurgé, pour lequel il a reçu la première subvention du Conseil des Arts du Canada accordée pour une bande dessinée.
  • Jillian Tamaki et Mariko Tamaki sont cousines et cocréatrices du populaire roman graphique Cet été-là, leur deuxième collaboration primée, qui raconte une histoire émouvante du passage de l’enfance à l’âge adulte.
  • Michel Rabagliati est l’esprit créatif derrière la série semi-autobiographique primée Paul. Son roman graphique Paul à Québec a même été adapté en film.
  • Seth s’est fait connaître avec la série de bandes dessinées Palookaville, dont une partie a été publiée sous la forme du roman graphique primé Clyde Fans, qui raconte l’histoire de deux frères aux prises avec la désintégration de leur entreprise familiale.

À propos de l’émission
Pour cette émission de timbres, les artistes ont collaboré avec Postes Canada pour créer des dessins originaux et exclusifs de leurs protagonistes en pleine lecture de leur propre histoire. Imprimée par Colour Innovations, l’émission comprend un carnet de huit timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur et un pli Premier Jour officiel oblitéré à London, en Ontario.

Les timbres et les articles de collection sont en vente dans les bureaux de poste dès aujourd’hui et peuvent être commandés à partir de la boutique postescanada.ca.

WHAT: Graphic novelists stamp celebration event

WHO: Chester Brown
Seth
Jillian Tamaki
Carrie Chisholm, Vice-President, Environment, Social and Governance, Canada Post

WHEN: Friday, May 10, 2024 at 6:45 pm

WHERE: Toronto Reference Library – Bram and Bluma Appel Salon (2nd floor), 789 Yonge St., Toronto M4W 2G8

New Definitives (Canada 2024)

by Danforth Guy
Virtual Stamp Club Special Contributor

With rate changes taking effect on May 6, Canada Post is issuing a series of new definitives that day. Borrowing a line from the national anthem, the “From Far and Wide” theme for definitives continues, with small stamps featuring grand scenes from across the country. The nine places are:

  • Torngat Mountains National Park, NL
  • Nááts’ihch’oh National Park Reserve, NT
  • Sunflowers at Altona, MB
  • Galiano Island, BC
  • Abbey at Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, QC (the photo on the right is a portion of the one used for the Abbey stamp)

These five are ‘P’ (Permanent) stamps, good for domestic mail up to 30 g. They will sell at the new price of 99 cents (up from 93 cents). They are not sold singly, but in mixed-design self-adhesive booklets of 10, and mixed-design coils of 100. They are also available as part of a 9-stamp souvenir sheet with those listed below. ‘P’ stamps can be used on mail for outside the country, with additional postage.

Other places featured are:

  • Point Prim Lighthouse, PE

This one is the domestic stamp when a single stamp is bought, as opposed to a booklet/coil. The single price is $1.15, and they come in a coil of 50.

Belfast, PEI, near this lighthouse, is the first day issue location for the entire set of nine stamps.

  • Restigouche River, NB

This $2.09 stamp is intended for Oversize mail beyond 30 g. It comes in a booklet of 6 and a coil of 50.

  • Thousand Islands, ON

Either the national park or islands in the vicinity. For mail up to 30 g to the United States. It’s priced at $1.40, and comes in a booklet of 6 and a coil of 50.

  • Qarlinngua Sea Arc, NU

International rate at $2.92 in a booklet of 6 and a coil of 50.

The entire set of nine stamps will be available on a single souvenir sheet, which is also being used on the official FDC, postmarked at Belfast, PEI, near the Point Prim Lighthouse.

In addition to the stamps, postage-paid postcards of each design will be available, showing the stamp image on the message side. Each will sell for $2.92, and can be mailed anywhere.

Additional information on this issue will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.


Updated May 6, 2024:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
From Far and Wide: New stamps take Canadians on cross-country journey to nine scenic locations

Fourth edition of multi-year series promotes travel and exploration

OTTAWA, ON, May 6, 2024 /CNW/ – Canada Post’s From Far and Wide series is back with nine spectacular images of must-see Canadian destinations.

Launched in 2018, the multi-year series celebrates Canada’s natural beauty and vibrant cultural landscapes. The fourth edition features seven provinces and two territories, taking viewers on a cross-country journey that will stir a sense of adventure and appreciation.

The 2024 From Far and Wide stamps showcase the following sites – each captured by a different photographer from across Canada:

  • Tongait KakKasuangita SilakKijapvinga – Torngat Mountains National Park, Newfoundland and Labrador (Michael Winsor)
  • Tehjeh Deé (South Nahanni River), Nááts’?hch’oh National Park Reserve – Northwest Territories (Colin Field)
  • Sunflowers – Altona, Manitoba (Mike Grandmaison)
  • Galiano Island, British Columbia (James Stevenson)
  • Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, Quebec (Ladislas Kadyszewski)
  • Point Prim Lighthouse – Belfast, Prince Edward Island (Sander Meurs)
  • Thousand Islands, Ontario (Ian Coristine)
  • Restigouche River, New Brunswick (Guylaine Bégin)
  • Qarlinngua sea arch – Arctic Bay, Nunavut (Clare Kines

About the stamps
The five Permanent™ domestic-rate stamps are available in booklets of 10 (two of each design), coils of 100 and 5,000, and strips of five and 10. The U.S., oversized- and international-rate stamps come in booklets of six, coils of 50, and strips of four and 10. Effective today, postage rates for stamps purchased in a booklet, coil or pane increase by seven cents, to 99 cents per stamp.

The issue also includes a collectible souvenir sheet and postcards featuring each of the nine stamps. The souvenir sheet Official First Day Cover [front and back shown] was cancelled in Belfast, Prince Edward Island (the location of the Point Prim Lighthouse). The issue was designed by Stéphane Huot. [An example of the postcard is below the FDC illustrations.]

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Terre de nos aïeux : de nouveaux timbres invitent à découvrir neuf lieux pittoresques du pays

Ce quatrième volet de la série pluriannuelle fait la promotion des voyages et de l’exploration.

OTTAWA, ON, le 6 mai 2024 /CNW/ – La série Terre de nos aïeux de Postes Canada est de retour avec neuf images spectaculaires de destinations canadiennes incontournables.

Lancée en 2018, cette série met en vedette la beauté naturelle du Canada et ses magnifiques paysages culturels. Cette quatrième émission se veut la vitrine de sept provinces et deux territoires, inspirant le goût de l’aventure et un sentiment d’appréciation.

Les timbres de l’émission Terre de nos aïeux de 2024 mettent en vedette les lieux ci dessous, chacun capturé par un ou une photographe du pays:

  • Tongait KakKasuangita SilakKijapvinga – Parc national des Monts-Torngat, Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador (Michael Winsor)
  • Tehjeh Deé (rivière Nahanni Sud), réserve de parc national Nááts’?hch’oh, Territoires du Nord-Ouest (Colin Field)
  • Tournesols – Altona, Manitoba (Mike Grandmaison)
  • Galiano Island, Colombie-Britannique (James Stevenson)
  • Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, Québec (Ladislas Kadyszewski)
  • Phare de Point Prim – Belfast, Île-du-Prince-Édouard (Sander Meurs)
  • Mille-Îles, Ontario (Ian Coristine)
  • Rivière Ristigouche, Nouveau-Brunswick (Guylaine Bégin)
  • Arche naturelle de Qarlinngua, Arctic Bay, Nunavut (Clare Kines)

À propos des timbres
Les cinq timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur sont offerts en carnets de 10 (deux pour chaque motif), en rouleaux de 100 ou de 5 000 et en bandes de 5 ou de 10. Les timbres au tarif des envois à destination des États-Unis, du régime international et des envois surdimensionnés sont offerts en carnets de 6, en rouleaux de 50 et en bandes de 4 ou de 10. Dès aujourd’hui, le tarif des timbres achetés en carnet, en rouleau ou en feuillet passe à 99 cents par timbre, soit une augmentation de 7 cents.

Cette émission comprend également un bloc-feuillet de collection et des cartes postales pour chacun des neuf timbres. Le pli Premier Jour officiel du bloc-feuillet est oblitéré à Belfast, à l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard (emplacement du phare de Point Prim). Cette émission a été conçue par Stéphane Huot.

Community Foundation Semi-Postal (Canada 2024)

From Virtual Stamp Club contributor Danforth Guy:

Here’s a look at the upcoming Canada Post Community Foundation semi-postal stamp. Last year’s Community Foundation issue came out May 1, so we can anticipate seeing these soon.

Given the illustration, it appears an animal cause will be the recipient of this year’s funding. That, or hot air ballooning. Or animal gay rights.

The stamp comes in a booklet of 10 domestic-rate ‘P’ stamps, plus 10 cents added ($1 per booklet). I have since learned the money goes to “local and national non-profit groups that assist children and youth”.

On the booklet, the postal service thanks its frontline workers for “participating in the selection” of the stamp design.

A postal person tells Danforth it will be issued April 29.

You can click on the image above for a larger version. Additional details will be posted below the line, with the most recent at the top.


Updated 29 April:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Canada Post Community Foundation fundraising stamp helps children and youth soar to new heights
Every dollar raised during annual campaign supports community projects for children and youth across Canada

OTTAWA, ON, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ – Today, the Canada Post Community Foundation kicked off its annual campaign to raise money for children’s programs across Canada with an uplifting new stamp.

Featuring an illustration of a group of animals flying in a hot air balloon, the stamp is a nod to the Foundation’s mission to support young Canadians to reach for their dreams and soar as high as they can imagine.

Each year, the Foundation distributes grants to Canadian charities, schools and community organizations that make a difference in the lives of children and youth. In addition to the sale of the stamp, funds are raised through customer donations in post offices, grassroots fundraising activities and employee payroll deductions.

100 per cent of funds go to local communities
Since 2012, the Foundation has provided $13.5 million to more than 1,100 initiatives nationwide, including literacy and language programs; youth outreach services; projects that support Indigenous youth; gender and sexual diversity programs and many others. Every dollar raised during the campaign goes straight to community projects in every province and territory.

Front of postcard

This year’s grant recipients will be announced in August.

About the stamp
The 2024 Canada Post Community Foundation stamp was designed by Seung Jai Paek. The artwork was selected by Canada Post retail employees. The stamp, Official First Day Cover (OFDC) – cancelled in Ottawa – and postage-paid postcard are available at post offices and online at canadapost.ca/shop. One dollar from the sale of each booklet of 10 stamps, or 10 cents from the sale of each

Back of postcard

OFDC and postcard, helps fund programs that elevate children and youth and fuel their dreams to take flight.

About the Foundation
The Canada Post Community Foundation is a registered charity that aims to have a positive impact on the lives of children and youth (up to age 21). Through its grassroots, community-based approach, the Foundation is one of the best examples of Canada Post’s commitment to building a stronger Canada. Supporting initiatives that benefit children and youth helps strengthen communities for all Canadians.

To donate to the Foundation, purchase a booklet of stamps at a local post office or visit canadapost.ca/community.

Canada Post’s YouTube Video:

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Un timbre philanthropique de la Fondation communautaire de Postes Canada aide les enfants et les jeunes à prendre leur envol
Chaque dollar recueilli au cours de la campagne annuelle appuie des projets communautaires pour les enfants et les jeunes partout au Canada.

OTTAWA, ON, le 29 avril 2024 /CNW/ – Aujourd’hui, la Fondation communautaire de Postes Canada a lancé sa campagne annuelle afin de recueillir des fonds pour des programmes destinés aux enfants à l’échelle du Canada grâce à la vente d’un nouveau timbre inspirant.

Ornée d’une illustration d’animaux à bord d’une montgolfière, la vignette est un clin d’œil à la mission de la Fondation : insuffler aux jeunes l’envie d’aller plus haut et de se laisser guider par leur imagination.

Chaque année, la Fondation verse des subventions aux œuvres de bienfaisance, aux écoles et aux organismes communautaires du Canada qui améliorent la vie des enfants et des jeunes. En plus de la vente du timbre, elle amasse des dons du public dans les bureaux de poste, lors d’activités communautaires de collecte de fonds et au moyen de retenues sur la paie du personnel.

La totalité des fonds profite aux collectivités locales
Depuis 2012, la Fondation a octroyé 13,5 millions de dollars en subventions à plus de 1 100 initiatives au pays, y compris des programmes d’alphabétisation et de langue, des services d’aide pour les jeunes, des projets qui soutiennent les jeunes Autochtones, et des programmes sur la diversité de genre et sexuelle. Chaque dollar amassé durant la campagne est directement versé à des projets communautaires dans chaque province et territoire. L’annonce des bénéficiaires de cette année se fera en août.

À propos du timbre
Le timbre de la Fondation communautaire de Postes Canada de 2024 a été conçu par Seung Jai Paek. Le motif a été choisi par le personnel de vente au détail de Postes Canada. Le timbre, le pli Premier Jour officiel – oblitéré à Ottawa -, et la carte postale port payé sont en vente dans les bureaux de poste et sur le site postescanada.ca/magasiner. Le dollar de plus déboursé à l’achat de chaque carnet de 10 timbres (ou les 10 cents supplémentaires à l’achat du pli Premier Jour officiel ou de la carte postale port payé) permet de financer des programmes qui aident les enfants et les jeunes à réaliser leurs rêves et à prendre leur envol.

À propos de la Fondation
La Fondation communautaire de Postes Canada est un organisme de bienfaisance enregistré qui vise à améliorer la vie des enfants et des jeunes de 21 ans ou moins. Grâce à son approche communautaire, elle constitue l’un des meilleurs exemples de l’engagement de Postes Canada à bâtir un Canada plus fort. En appuyant des projets qui viennent en aide aux enfants et aux jeunes, la Fondation contribue à renforcer les collectivités pour toute la population.

Pour faire un don à la Fondation, achetez un carnet de timbres à votre bureau de poste ou visitez postescanada.ca/communautaire.

Video du Canada Post en Francais:

Design Language of Nature (Netherlands 2024)

[from PostNL press material] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
The Design Language Of Nature

Date of issue: 22 April 2024
Format: sheet with eight stamps in eight different designs, with denomiation 1 for post up to and including 20 grams for destinations within the Netherlands
Item number: 440561
Design: Sandra Smulders, Vormgoed, Gouda

PostNL will issue The Design Language Of Nature stamp sheet on 22 April 2024. The stamps feature photographs of unusual geometric shapes found in nature with patterns such as spirals, symmetry, fractals, Fibonacci sequences and the golden ratio. It was designed by Sandra Smulders. The denomination on these stamps is ‘1’, the denomination for items weighing up to 20g with destinations in the Netherlands. A sheet of eight stamps costs €8.72 (currently US$9.28).

People in every culture throughout the world use regular patterns to decorate artefacts and other objects. We also observe these patterns in nature, based on geometrical shapes such as rectangles, star patterns, circles, spheres and cylinders. When these shapes are combined, all sorts of complex patterns emerge underpinned by mathematical principles.

The Design Language Of Nature stamps feature photographs of plants and animals that display these geometrical patterns, including spirals (a curved line around a defined point that gets ever closer or further away from the point) and symmetry (where one half of an object is the mirror image of the other half). Other patterns represented include fractals (where geometric shapes are precisely replicated in different sizes) and Fibonacci sequences (a sequence in which each element is the sum of the two preceding elements). These four regular patterns are linked together on the stamp sheet using the golden ratio, sometimes referred to as the divine proportion, that is also observable in nature. In the golden ratio, the largest of two parts is in proportion to the smallest part, while the whole is in proportion to the largest part. The ratio found is called the golden number and is denoted by the Greek letter phi.

The Design Language Of Nature stamps depict the following animals and plants: panther chameleon and Christmas tree worm (spirals), romanesco cauliflower and fern (fractals), dandelion, sunflower, nautilus shell and dahlia (Fibonacci sequence), monarch butterfly and tiger (symmetry).

Smulders laid out the stamp sheet itself in the aesthetically pleasing proportions of the golden ratio. A multitude of rectangles of different sizes formed by white lines is overlaid on each stamp. In the golden ratio, the largest rectangle is in proportion to the smallest while all the rectangles together are in proportion to the largest rectangle. The proportions of the stamps and of the stamp sheet in relation to one another are also determined by the golden ratio.

A white line taking the form of a spiral is traced across the stamp sheet. The spiral starts in the smallest two rectangles on the yellow/red shaded stamp. From this point, the colours on the stamps change as the spiral moves over the page: from yellow to orange, through red, brown, blue and finally to various shades of green on the stamps at the top. On the sheet edges and the tabs, pale colours matching those in the photographs on the stamps fade into one another. The year and denomination 1 appear in the white rectangles on the stamps. The country appears vertically along the edge of the stamp outside the photograph. The explanatory text on the tabs traces the curve of the spiral and, on the bottom edge of the sheet, the typography and the PostNL logo remain within the spiral. An explanatory text appears at the top left on the sheet edge.

“From my research it became clear that the Design Language Of Nature comes in vastly differing forms,” says Smulders. “I chose to focus only on flora and fauna for the stamps, but there are so many natural phenomena in which you can observe geometric shapes: from snowflakes and clouds, to schools of fish and the effects of the wind on sand in deserts.

“All these shapes and their behaviour are underpinned by mathematical formulae. That’s what makes it so fascinating.”

For the eight stamps, Smulders chose four geometric shapes: spirals, fractals, Fibonacci sequences and symmetry. She then set about putting together a selection of images she could use, within certain parameters. “For example, there needed to be a balance between flora and fauna”, continues Smulders. “So, an equal number of plants and animals. Colours also played a role in my design decisions.”

Technical Details:
Stamp size: 114.721 x 179.442mm:
Sheet format: 40 x 24.721 mm
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Glue: gummed
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Edition: 95,000 sheets
Format: sheet of 8 stamps in 8 different designs
Design: Sandra Smulders, Vormgoed, Gouda
Printing company: Koninklijke Joh. Enschedé B.V., Haarlem
Item number: 440561

Note: PostNL does not sell directly to collectors in North America. Its website refers to a company called Nordfirm, which says it sells Dutch new issues at face value. The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Collectors may also wish to contact the U.S. firm Bombay Stamps, which can also obtain first day covers upon request, with lower shipping fees. The email is sales@bombaystamps.com Again, The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Endangered Frogs (Canada 2024)

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
New Canada Post stamps raise awareness of endangered frogs

Oregon spotted frog and Fowler’s toad are on Canada’s list of endangered species

PORT ROWAN, Ont. – Canada Post has issued new stamps drawing attention to two of the country’s endangered frog species.

The two stamps feature the Oregon spotted frog and Fowler’s toad. Both on Canada’s endangered species list, the frogs have experienced habitat loss from human activity, invasive organisms and pollution.

Fowler’s toad (Anaxyrus fowleri)
In Canada, Fowler’s toads are found only on the north shore of Lake Erie (in Ontario), often on its sandy beaches and dunes. The primarily nocturnal animals are also found in much of the eastern United States.

Adults range in size from about 5 cm to over 8 cm in length and breed in shallow ponds, pools and marshes. They are grey to buff-coloured, with small dark spots and warts on the back, and have a white or cream-coloured belly.

Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa)
In Canada, Oregon spotted frogs live exclusively in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. In the United States, their California population has disappeared; however, they are still found in Oregon and parts of Washington state.

The webbing on their hind feet extends to the tip of their toes, making them efficient swimmers. Unlike most other frogs, their eyes are angled upward, allowing them to be almost entirely submerged while seeing above the water. Adult Oregon spotted frogs are brown or reddish-brown, with light centred black spots on their heads, backs, sides and legs.

About the stamps
Designed by Jocelyne Saulnier, Joce Creative, illustrated by Emily S. Damstra and printed by Lowe-Martin, the stamp issue includes 250,000 booklets of 10 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps, 6,000 Official First Day Covers and 40,000 souvenir sheets.

The stamp cancel location is Port Rowan, Ontario, a town on the north shore of Lake Erie close to the habitat of Fowler’s toads. The souvenir sheet background image shows an Oregon spotted frog peeking up from the water’s surface.

Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.

Technical Specifications:
The stamps are at the Permanent™ rate and printed by lithography in five colors.

Product
Booklet of 10 stamps
Official First Day Covers
souvenir Sheet
Size
40 mm x 36 mm
190 mm x 112 mm
101 mm x 114 mm
Price
$9.20
$2.84
$1.84

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
De nouveaux timbres de Postes Canada nous sensibilisent au sort des grenouilles en voie de disparition

La grenouille maculée de l’Oregon et le crapaud de Fowler figurent sur la liste des espèces menacées du Canada.

PORT ROWAN, ON, le 15 avril 2024 /CNW/ – Postes Canada a émis de nouveaux timbres qui attirent l’attention sur deux espèces de grenouilles en danger au pays.

Un timbre présente la grenouille maculée de l’Oregon et l’autre, le crapaud de Fowler. Ces deux amphibiens figurent sur la liste des espèces en voie de disparition du pays en raison de la perte de leur habitat, attribuable à l’activité humaine, aux organismes envahissants et aux polluants.

Crapaud de Fowler (Anaxyrus fowleri)
Au Canada, le crapaud de Fowler habite exclusivement sur la rive nord du lac Érié, en Ontario, se trouvant souvent sur les plages sablonneuses et les dunes. Principalement nocturne, on le trouve également dans une grande partie de l’est des États-Unis.

Les adultes, dont la taille varie de 5 cm à plus de 8 cm de longueur, se reproduisent dans des étangs, des bassins et des marais peu profonds. Leur couleur varie du gris au chamois, avec de petites taches foncées et des verrues sur le dos, et un ventre blanc ou crème.

Grenouille maculée de l’Oregon (Rana pretiosa)
Au Canada, la grenouille maculée de l’Oregon se trouve uniquement dans la vallée du Fraser, en Colombie-Britannique. Aux États-Unis, sa population californienne a disparu, mais on la trouve encore en Oregon et dans certaines régions de l’État de Washington.

Les pieds de ses pattes postérieures présentent une palmure complète et font d’elle une excellente nageuse. Contrairement à la plupart des autres grenouilles, ses yeux sont orientés vers le haut; elle peut ainsi voir au-dessus de l’eau en demeurant presque entièrement submergée. À l’âge adulte, la grenouille maculée de l’Oregonest brune ou rougeâtre, et a des taches noires au centre pâle sur la tête, le dos, les flancs et les pattes.

À propos des timbres
Conçue par Jocelyne Saulnier, de l’entreprise Joce Creative, illustrée par Emily S. Damstra et imprimée par Lowe-Martin, l’émission compte 250 000 carnets de 10 timbres Permanents🅪 au tarif du régime intérieur, 6 000 plis Premier Jour officiels et 40 000 blocs feuillets.

Le lieu d’oblitération est Port Rowan, en Ontario, une ville sur la rive nord du lac Érié qui est à proximité de l’habitat du crapaud de Fowler. L’arrière-plan du bloc-feuillet montre une grenouille maculée de l’Oregon qui regarde au-dessus de l’eau.

Les timbres et les articles de collection sont en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

 

Britain Celebrates 100 Years of Commemorative Stamps (UK 2024)

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Marks the 100th Anniversary of Its Commemorative Stamps Programme with a Set of New Stamps

Issue Date: 16 April

  • The first commemorative stamp was issued on 23 April 1924
  • Each of the 10 stamps features three images of previously issued commemorative stamps
  • The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order at www.royalmail.com/100years and by telephone on 03457 641641. The stamps go on general sale on 16 April.

Royal Mail have revealed images of 10 new stamps to mark the centenary of British commemorative stamps.

For 100 years, commemorative stamps, also known as Special Stamps, have helped to mark and celebrate some of the most significant events in the United Kingdom’s history and national life.

Each of the 10 stamps includes a selection of three images of previously issued commemorative stamps – including the very first, released in 1924. That year, on 23 April, the first UK special stamp was issued to commemorate the opening of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Park in London.

Collectors Sheet

Commemorative stamps are works of art in miniature. Much of the artwork that goes into their design begins at a much larger scale. It is part of the stamp designers’ task to ensure that it can be successfully reduced to the small size of a postage stamp. Over the past century, talented artists and designers have been commissioned to commemorate and celebrate important anniversaries and events.

The themes and topics covered range from the tiniest of insects to the far reaches of outer space. Over the past century, popular subjects have included literature, film and television, music, transport, the natural world, influential people and royalty.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “British commemorative stamps have mirrored the changes in society and culture at large for the past century. They celebrate the best of the UK, our people and our national character. Everyone will have their own favourites, but this set shows the diversity of the stamps programme and how design and subject matter have evolved in a century.”

Themes
In the early days, there were few commemorative issues. Those that were released were generally focused on Royalty. The Silver Jubilee of King George V got a commemorative stamp in 1935. In 1936, work began on stamps to mark the coronation of King Edward VIII the following year, but he abdicated that December and therefore no Coronation stamps were ever released. The coronation of his brother, King George VI, was marked with a stamp. It remains one of only three coronation issues, the others being for the coronations of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III.

The modern commemorative stamp programme was devised in 1965 by the then Postmaster General, Tony Benn, who worked with designer David Gentleman to overhaul stamp design. The stamp of Sir Winston Churchill, issued in July of that year, was designed by Gentleman and was the first British stamp to feature a non-Royal contemporary individual. With its bold modernist approach and no text, it set the scene for the future.

Over the years, some incredible designers and artists have contributed their work, including Quentin Blake, David Hockney, Paula Rego, Grayson Perry and Yinka Shonibare.

The world of music has been well represented over the years, with classical pieces, such as Sea Pictures by Edward Elgar, balanced with more contemporary artists, including David Bowie, Elton John, Pink Floyd and Queen. Popular culture has been celebrated with major film franchises, such as Harry Potter, popular comedy series Blackadder’s 40th anniversary in 2023, Coronation Street (60th anniversary), The Clangers (50 years of children’s TV), and Dr Who (50th anniversary).

Celebrating diversity is a theme that runs through Royal Mail’s stamp issues, with individuals from all backgrounds and walks of life depicted. Amongst the many stamps issued to celebrate the diversity of the UK was a set in 2023 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush arriving in the UK.

Also, in 2018 a stamp honoured Sophia Duleep Singh, a prominent suffragette campaigner of Sikh heritage and in 2022, a set of stamps was released to mark the 50th anniversary of the UK’s first Gay Pride rally that took place in 1972.

The natural world has been a major theme from the very earliest days of commemorative stamps. The British countryside, flora and fauna – including the tiniest of insects – have made appearances. Commemorative stamps have helped to celebrate the wonder of the natural world and highlight significant environmental issues, such as endangered species and pollution. It has not been just the existing natural world to feature; dinosaurs, for example, have appeared more than once, including on an innovative set of stamps in 2013, where the image of the dinosaur breaks out from the edge of the frame.

Stamp-by-Stamp:
1st Class: British Empire Exhibition, Postal Union Congress, Silver Jubilee

1st Class: Royal Silver Wedding, Centenary of First Adhesive Postage Stamps, Peace and Reconstruction1st Class: Tercentenary of ‘General Letter Office’, Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Festival of Britain

1st Class: Landscapes, Investiture of HRH The Prince of Wales, National Nature Week

1st Class: Philympia 70 Stamp Exhibition, British Wildlife, British Achievement in Chemistry

1st Class: Flowers, Halley’s Comet, Transport and Communications

1st Class: Robert Burns: The Immortal Memory, Millennium, Architects of the Air

1st Class: The Weather, Lest We Forget, Sounds of Britain

1st Class: Landmark Buildings, Jane Austen, Queen

1st Class: Platinum Jubilee, Brilliant Bugs, Windrush: 75 Years

Philatelic products include framed stamps, collectors sheet, framed collectors sheet, and postcards. The top price is £67.50 for a 50-stamp “full sheet” (Europa or Silver Jubilee)

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order at www.royalmail.com/100years and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 10 stamps in the set is priced at £14.40. The stamps go on general sale on 16 April.

Jackson Appointed to U.S. Advisory Panel

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] [Photo of Jackson supplied by her]
New Member Appointed to Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced the appointment of marketing executive Trish Jackson to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC). Members are appointed to the committee by the postmaster general to provide expertise in business, history, science, technology, art, education, sports and other areas of public interest. Working together, they make recommendations for future stamp subjects.

Jackson was born in New York City and grew up in Williamsburg, VA, where she first discovered her love and appreciation for American history. She is an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), where she is Molly Stark chapter regent in Manchester, NH. She was an honorary New Hampshire state regent from 2019-2022 and is the national chairman of the DAR Leadership Training Committee. She was recently appointed by Gov. Christopher Sununu to New Hampshire’s America 250! Sesquicentennial Commission.

Jackson has had an extensive career in marketing, focusing on campaign and data analysis. She is currently a marketing campaign analyst for Cigna-Express Scripts. She is a graduate of Colgate University with a double major in political science and international relations.

Jackson lives in New Hampshire with her husband of 32 years, Hans, and has two children, Erin and Connor.

Submitting Stamp Suggestions
Due to the time required for research and approval in the stamp selection process, ideas for stamp subjects should be received at least three years prior to the proposed issuance. Each submission should include pertinent historical information and important dates associated with the subject. Proposals must be in writing and submitted by U.S. Mail. No in-person appeals, phone calls or emails are accepted. Mail your suggestion (one topic per letter) to the address below:

Stamp Development
Attn: Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300
Washington, DC 20260-3501

Mystic Co. Adds $25K to Boston 2026

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Boston 2026 Received $25,000 from Mystic Stamp Company

On the heels of a personal donation from its president, Donald J. Sundman, Mystic Stamp Company has come forth with its own $25,000 donation to Boston 2026 World Expo.

Yamil Kouri, Boston 2026 President, welcomed the contribution saying, “We continue to be amazed at the generosity of the entire Mystic organization in their backing of America’s next international exhibition. The company’s slogan as ‘America’s Leading Stamp Dealer’ is certainly befitting their support of the show.”

As mentioned in a prior press release Mystic became a 100% employee-owned company in April 2021 with the Sundmans continuing their positions—Donald as president and wife Chacea as director of human resources. The 110-employee business is based in Camden, New York, specializing in the buying and selling of postage stamps, collecting supplies, and other philatelic items.

The firm’s annual U.S. Stamp Catalog is one of the most comprehensive featuring over 160 pages depicting 4,800 stamps in full color along with other must-haves for collectors. Those in the U.S. may request one free of charge through their web site at www.mysticstamp.com and learn of their approval services.

First day cover enthusiasts know of the connection between Mystic and three historic mass-producers of cacheted covers formerly in the marketplace. Fleetwood was bought by Mystic in 2007, followed by Colorano’s silk cachet business in 2016. Mystic then purchased Artcraft’s 5 million steel-engraved cover inventory in 2019, making it the country’s foremost supplier of FDCs.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

Schedule Your GASS 2024 Meeting Now

Latest news from Great American Stamp Show 2024:

A tentative schedule will go online soon. However, the show is running out of time slots (there is a limited number of rooms), especially the better ones. Also, the printed program will go to press soon, and you’ll want your event in that. Fill out this form.

Also, have you pre-registered yet? It only takes a minute, it’s free and there’s no obligation — no one will be taking attendance! Then you won’t have to wait in line to get your badge and the badge itself will look so much nicer than the handwritten ones. That link is here.