Canada 150th: Canadarm (Canada 2017)

[press release]
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen unveils Canadarm stamp at Toronto school
Stamp is third in a set of 10 that captures unforgettable moments of the last 50 years as country celebrates Canada 150

TORONTO, May 4, 2017 – Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen was at a Toronto school to unveil a stamp with an image of Canada’s most famous robotics accomplishment – the Canadarm. The stamp commemorates Canada’s achievements in space, science, technology and innovation.

Hansen was on-site at Glen Ames Senior Public School on April 28 to unveil the stamp and meet with Grade 7 and 8 students from the school’s robotics club as they prepare to travel to California to compete in an international robotics competition. Students competing were tasked to design, build and program a robot made entirely of Lego to solve a real-world problem. The team came up with the PetPortion – a robot that manages a pet’s weight by automatically giving it the proper amount of food based on its weight and level of daily exercise.

Hansen also addressed the entire school and encouraged the next generation of Canadian innovators to pursue education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Hansen features in video, unveils third stamp for Canada 150
The Canadarm stamp is the third in a set of 10 to be issued which mark Canada 150. Each stamp celebrates a significant and unforgettable moment in the life of this country since its centennial in 1967.

The 10 moments and achievements, which have become pillars of Canada’s collective memory, were selected by Canada Post’s stamp advisory committee, which includes historians, archivists, graphic designers and philatelists. A video featuring Hansen and a magazine article about the Canadarm are on canadapost.ca/canada150.

Canadarm showcased Canada’s expertise in space and robotics
The Canadarm’s first mission was aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on November 13, 1981. It manoeuvred astronauts, satellites and cargo over 30 years before it retired when the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011. The Canadarm launched Canada’s close partnership with NASA on human space flight. Eight Canadian astronauts have flown in space, participating in 16 missions aboard either a space shuttle or on the International Space Station: Roberta Bondar, Marc Garneau, Chris Hadfield, Steve MacLean, Julie Payette, Robert Thirsk, Bjarni Tryggvason and Dave Williams.

Currently Canada has two active astronauts: David Saint-Jacques and Jeremy Hansen, and two additional astronauts are expected to be announced this summer.

The Canadarm was instrumental in establishing Canada’s reputation for robotics innovation and led to a new generation of Canadian robotics on the International Space Station (ISS). It will inspire future generations of Canadian scientists and engineers as they develop new technologies that make the world a better, easier and safer place.

Each stamp in the set has been unveiled by a distinguished Canadian individual or group related to the moment being celebrated. The setting for each stamp launch also directly relates to the moment being commemorated. The stamp that celebrates Expo 67 was unveiled in Montréal by Habitat 67 architect Moshe Safdie on April 27 and the stamp about the Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was unveiled on Parliament Hill on May 3. The next stamp in the Canada 150 set will be revealed in Toronto on Tuesday, May 9. The others will be unveiled individually at cities across the country, the last of them on June 1.

About the stamp
Each of the 10 maple-leaf shaped die-cut Permanent domestic-rate stamps measures 40 mm X 40 mm and is printed in 6 colours plus tagging. The self-adhesive stamps are available in a booklet of 10 (4 million stamps). A gummed pane of 10 stamps, with circle perforations 4.5 cm in diameter, is also available (80,000 panes). Official First Day Covers, one for each stamp design and each cancelled in OTTAWA ON, are available in a pack of 10 (10,000 packs). The stamp issue was designed by Roy White and Liz Wurzinger of Subplot Design Inc. in Vancouver, B.C., and printed by the Lowe-Martin Group.

Canada 150: Charter of Rights & Freedoms (Canada 2017)

[press release]
Charter of Rights and Freedoms, patriation of Constitution are commemorated in new stamp issued by Canada Post
Stamp is second in a set of 10 that marks unforgettable moments of the last 50 years, as part of Canada 150 celebrations

OTTAWA, May 3, 2017 – Only a peaceful nation achieves full independence with the stroke of a pen, thousands of citizens erupting in cheers and a band striking up a fanfare – which is how Canada brought its Constitution home.

That achievement is commemorated in a new stamp that Canada Post unveiled today on Parliament Hill, together with the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada.

Full constitutional independence in a historic ceremony
On a wet and windy April 17, 1982, on the steps of Parliament Hill, before a sea of onlookers under umbrellas and waving Canadian flags, Queen Elizabeth II signed the Proclamation of the Constitution Act, 1982. Our Constitution was finally ours alone: Canada now had full autonomy to amend it without involving the British Parliament. As well, we would live under a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that guarantees the fundamental protections and liberties we all enjoy.

Today, 35 years later, Canadians still rank the Charter as our most important national symbol, says Statistics Canada. For all these reasons, Canada Post – the nation’s storyteller because of its iconic national stamp program – is proudly commemorating the Constitution and Charter with a special stamp. [Photo, left to right: Steven MacKinnon, Member of Parliament for Gatineau, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services & Procurement; Deepak Chopra, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Post; The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada. Photo by Canada Post/Denis Drever.]

A range of rights worth cherishing
Under the Charter, Canadians have the right to freedom of speech, religion, thought and expression, as well as freedom of the press, of mobility, of association and of assembly, among others. The Charter also enshrines citizens’ rights to vote, to run for office, to a fair trial, to security and privacy, as well as important linguistic rights. The Charter also confers equality upon every individual in Canada – regardless of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, colour, sex, age or physical or mental disability. Governments must not discriminate on these grounds in laws or programs.

A video featuring former prime minister Jean Chrétien, who led the negotiations toward the patriation of the Constitution and the creation of the Charter; former Supreme Court justice Michel Bastarache; and Linda Cardinal, full professor and Research Chair on Francophonie and Public Policy, University of Ottawa; is on canadapost.ca/canada150.

This stamp is the second to be issued in a set of 10 that marks Canada 150 by celebrating unforgettable moments in the last 50 years of the country. They are the first stamps in Canada Post’s history to be issued in the shape of our iconic national symbol, the maple leaf. The first stamp, celebrating Expo 67, was unveiled in Montréal on April 27 by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie, who designed the famous Habitat 67 complex depicted on the stamp.

About the stamp
Each of the 10 maple-leaf shaped die-cut Permanent domestic-rate stamps measures 40 mm X 40 mm and is printed in 6 colours plus tagging. The self-adhesive stamps are available in a booklet of 10 (4 million stamps). A gummed pane of 10 stamps, with circle perforations 4.5 cm in diameter, is also available (80,000 panes). Official First Day Covers, one for each stamp design and each cancelled in OTTAWA ON, are available in a pack of 10 (10,000 packs). The stamp issue was designed by Roy White and Liz Wurzinger of Subplot Design Inc. in Vancouver, B.C., and printed by the Lowe-Martin Group.

The third of 10 Canada 150 stamps to be unveiled online
By lauding Canadian innovation and technology, Canada Post continues to tell compelling celebratory stories for Canada 150

TORONTO – Canada Post will continue to celebrate Canada 150 by unveiling the third of 10 special commemorative stamps, this one with special guest Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen (details below).

Each of the 10 stamps to be unveiled separately over the next five weeks tells an exceptional story about a Canadian achievement, milestone or unforgettable moment from the past 50 years (since Canada’s centennial in 1967). These multimedia events will be Canada Post at its best as the country’s storyteller, a role anchored in its iconic national stamp program.

These moments of great significance were chosen by Canada Post’s independent Stamp Advisory Committee – 12 members of the public who are experts in their field, including historians, archivists, philatelists, graphic designers and others.

The Event:

An online stamp reveal commemorating one of Canada’s proudest and most celebratory moments with special guest Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and the students of Glen Ames Senior Public School in Toronto.

WHAT: Unveiling the third of 10 stamps that will highlight unforgettable moments of Canada’s past 50 years, in honour of Canada 150.

WHEN: Thursday, May 4, 10 a.m.

WHERE: Online only. A video unveiling the third stamp will be posted on the Canada Post Magazine at CanadaPost.ca/Canada150

U.S. Scott Catalogue Update (May 2017)

5178 10¢ Red Pears, serpentine die cut 11¼x11

5180 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – See America Welcome to Montana
5181 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – Work Pays America
5182 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – Field Day
5183 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – Discover Puerto Rico
5184 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – City of New York Municipal Airports
5185 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – Foreign Trade Zone
5186 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – Visit the Zoo
5187 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – Work with Care
5188 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – The National Parks Preserve Wild Life
5189 (49¢) WPA Poster booklet stamp – Hiking
a. Block of 10, #5180-5189
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 2 each #5180-5189

5190 Mississippi Statehood, 200th Anniv.

Hotchner: Dealing With Self-Sticks

Dealing With Self-Sticks
By John M. Hotchner

Hardly any stamp collector is happy with the Postal Service’s practice, begun in earnest in 2007, of producing increasing numbers of self-stick issues that when used, can’t be floated free of the envelope paper.

The reason given was that they were saving on the cost of the stamp paper. But this developed later. Initially there was no announcement. Collectors made the discovery through trying to wash new issues so as to have a nice clean example to put in the album.

Actually about a quarter of what is issued these days can be soaked off — even today. But the remainder either have to be specially treated, stamp by stamp, to be removed. Or, they have to be left on neatly clipped (hope- fully thin) paper and put in the album.

The latter will not bother some people, but as most of us are creatures of habit, the change from the old way is annoying. It makes the presentation of a used collection on album pages a bit disorderly with different thicknesses and colors of envelope paper. Even mint self-stick stamps have to be left on their backing paper when displayed in albums. Thus, fewer stamps will t on a page, and albums get thicker faster. Not a few collectors have reacted to this new era by combining this problem with ever higher face values of stamps, and using these excuses to stop collecting U.S. stamps issued after 2000, or to leave the hobby altogether.

But are the changes really fatal, or do they simply force changes in collecting with which we are unhappy? Are we over-reacting to what we see as high handedness on the part of the USPS? Personally, I feel it, and there can be little doubt that there is some of this in the reaction of collectors. As confirmation, we saw it in letters to the editor in the philatelic press as the USPS went to unwashable self-sticks, and then decreed that all issues would be self-sticks.

The latter decision was popular with the public, but it was anything but for collectors. It is still my belief that this could be “fixed” by leaving mail-use stamps self-stick, and issuing commemoratives as lick-and-stick since their purpose is to be sold to collectors. And I would like to see the Postal Service return to the days of washable self-sticks. This would seem to be only rational given that reporting in the philatelic press indicated that the stamps issued without that feature actually cost more than washable stamps.

But I’m dreaming. Back to reality.

The basic question is this: Will you let the changes wrought by the USPS drive you out of the hobby? Or will you find a way to adapt? I can’t picture life without stamp collecting! So adapting is the way I have gone, and the way I recommend.

For those who think that they will teach the Postal Service a thing or two by dropping out with a blast in the Letters to the Editor column, forget it. They have set their course, and are “driving hard to the basket”, to mix a metaphor.

The only power you have is the power of the purse. If you do not spend money on their products, that has an impact. But the USPS is busily about the task of recruiting new collectors who take as a given the new reality. Apparently, they are having success sufficient to offset losses of old-line collectors who are dropping out.

So, the first way to adapt, is not dropping out alto- gether but limiting U.S. stamp collecting to those issues that are pleasing; say ending with the issues of 2000 or 2005. You save on supplements as well as stamps. And this allows you to spend available money on lling in older spaces with those beautifully engraved stamps of yesteryear.

But if, like me, you maintain your interest in the cur- rent issues of the USPS, then there are several avenues you can take:

1. In choosing stamps-on-paper for your album, consider the color and thickness of stamps to be part of condition. Thin white paper is the goal, and just as you would replace a heavily cancelled stamp with one that is lightly cancelled, replace thick red paper when you can.

2. Choose the margin size you will use for consistency, and trim the excess paper so that your album page looks nice.

3. Obtain and learn to use the Scott U.S. Specialized Catalogue, which has a feature identifying those modern stamps that can and cannot be washed. Then wash what you can. I am hopeful that Scott will eventually add this feature to the U.S. listings in Volume I of the Standard Catalogue. (Note: Keep in mind that I have found several stamps that Scott indicates can be washed are at best very difficult, and at worst, actually won’t wash. Best to try one or two before trying to wash quantities.)

[Note: For three years, The Virtual Stamp Club kept track of which U.S. self-adhesives were soakable, through the hard work of volunteer John Cropper. Then he had to move on, and no one else was able to undertake this task. But the “Soaking Stoplight” information is still online here for 2008, 2009 and 2010. — VSC]

4. Consider removing the envelope paper from stamps destined for your album using one of the spray or chemical products that have been discussed in Linn’s [Stamp News] and The American Philatelist (mostly in letters to the editor). Although it takes more time than the old float-free method, and for that reason is not suitable for large quantities, it works well on individual stamps. I use non-aerosol “Pure Citrus” Orange Air Freshener which is available at Home Depot and other locations. It is effective and non-toxic.

I will close with an offer. I will provide a write-up on how I use “Pure Citrus”, and/or a write-up of how to separate some of the more difficult soakable stamps from paper to any reader who requests one or both. If you want these, please write to me, specifying which, and enclose 10¢ in mint postage to cover photocopying, and a stamped addressed envelope. Send to me at PO Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125.


Should you wish to comment on this column, or have questions or ideas you would like to have explored in a future column, please write to John Hotchner, VSC Contributor, P.O. Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125, or email, putting “VSC” in the subject line.

Or comment right here.

King Willem-Alexander’s 50th Birthday (Netherlands 2017)

[press release]
Stamps depicting the life of fifty-year-old King Willem-Alexander

The Hague, 24 April 2017 – PostNL is issuing a special stamp sheetlet honouring King Willem-Alexander’s fiftieth birthday. The ten pictures show the various periods in the life of the king. The images are featured on six stamps and on four tabs to the left and right of the stamps.

Nine of the photos on the stamp sheetlet were taken by photo journalist Vincent Mentzel. The tenth photo was taken by Prince Claus of a young Willem-Alexander with a football in the garden of Drakensteyn Castle. Mentzel sees this photo as an homage to his father. Together with designer Irma Boom, he opted to use black and white photos for the informal moments of the king’s life. The colour images show the more formal moments of King Willem-Alexander.

Journalistic photos of a Head of State
For this stamp sheetlet, Mentzel and Boom made a selection of historic photos from the photography book Koninklijke Foto’s [Royal Photos] – Vincent Mentzel. “The photos in this book show Willem-Alexander’s personality and his tastes. It’s perhaps most clearly shown in the photo taken in Rotterdam. It has it all: the smile, the flag, the water, the boat, the Willemsbrug. The other photos feature more active aspects, like the one of him walking down the street on a state visit to China, or of his time in the navy. They’re not glamour photos; they’re photo journalism. You see a boy who will go on to become Head of State. And you see the man he is now,” Mentzel says.

Availability
Each ‘Willem-Alexander 50’ stamp sheetlet consists of six stamps marked with ‘Nederland 1’, which can be used for items weighing up to 20g destined for mail in the Netherlands. These stamps will be available from 24 April at all Bruna shops and via Collectclub.nl. The stamps are valid until further notice.

Botanical Gardens (Netherlands 2017)

[press release]
Botanical gardens bloom on new stamp sheetlet

The Hague, 25 April 2017 – PostNL is issuing a new stamp sheetlet to mark the occasion of the Year of the Botanical Gardens in 2017. The stamps feature ten special plants and trees. These crown jewels are all from botanical gardens in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands has more than thirty botanical gardens, twenty-four of which are members of The Dutch Foundation of Botanical Gardens (NVBT). The Foundation has dedicated 2017 to highlighting the most unique, unusual and threatened species of plants and trees. The gardens are home to 47,000 types of plants and trees from all over the world.

Individual character visible on stamp
From a selection of around one hundred possible plants and trees, designer Robbert Zweegman choose ten ‘crown jewels’ for the new stamp sheetlet. He had nature photographer Edwin Giesbers photograph all of them individually. “This makes visible the individual character of the plant or tree, as a symbol for the botanical garden. You also avoid the distraction of the environment; you have no context and no other plants nearby,” says Zweegman, explaining the choice of the images.

Renowned botanical gardens on stamp sheetlet
The stamps feature well-known plants and trees. These include the deadly nightshade (Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam), black false hellebore (Holland Open Air Museum Arnhem), the yellow pitcher plant (Kerkrade Botanical Garden), the purple coneflower (Hortus Alkmaar) and the orange trumpet vine (Utrecht Botanical Gardens). Zweegman also chose to include the Latin name of each plant or tree in the design. In doing so, he is referring to the Swedish plant expert Carl Linnaeus, who classified plants and trees into logical categories in the 18th century and assigned them a two-part Latin name.

Availability
The ‘Botanical Gardens in the Netherlands’ stamp sheetlet consists of ten stamps marked with ‘Nederland 1’, which can be used for items weighing up to 20g destined for mail in the Netherlands. These stamps will be available from 24 April at all Bruna shops and via Collectclub.nl. The stamps are valid until further notice.

British Songbirds (UK 2017)

[from Royal Mail]

A celebration of British songbirds.
Issue Date: 4th May 2017
REASON & INSPIRATION
This 10-stamp issue explores some familiar and less well-known songbirds, whose song defines the British spring and early summer, from birds with simple songs to those with complex repertoires.

MINT STAMPS IN DETAIL
Price: £6.50
Code: AS2596
Printed in se-tenent strips of five: All First Class.
Technical Details:

Number of stamps: 10
Value of Stamps: 10 x First Class
Design: Stamp Design: Osborne Ross
Illustrations: Federico Gemma
Stamp Size: 35mm x 35mm
Stamp Format: Square
Printer: International Security Printers
Print Process: Lithography
Perforations: 14.5 x 14.5
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: PVA The First Day Covers (above) Feature All 10 Mint Stamps and a special First Day of Issue postmark.

Star Trek 2017 (Canada 2017)

[press release]
Admiral James T. Kirk and Starfleet’s finest captains materialize on dramatic Canadian Star Trek™ stamps
Bold explorers are shadowed by the menacing villains they faced

OTTAWA, April 28, 2017 /CNW/ – Canada Post today issued a set of seven Star Trek stamps that celebrate each of Starfleet’s finest leaders, dramatically depicting them with the most cunning of the adversaries they confronted on their voyages.

Five stamps are dedicated to the exploits of James T. Kirk (Montréal-born actor William Shatner), Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula).

Two additional stamps feature the intrepid shuttlecraft Galileo, which was often deployed for missions too dangerous for the U.S.S. Enterprise, and the ominous Borg cube, which has been specially enhanced with holographic foil and embossing.

A sequel to last year’s 50th anniversary collection, these seven stamps feature:

  • Admiral James T. Kirk with Khan Noonien Singh (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan™, 1982)
  • Captain Jean-Luc Picard with Locutus of Borg (Star Trek: The Next Generation™, 1987-1994)
  • Captain Benjamin Sisko with Dukat (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine™, 1993-1999)
  • Captain Kathryn Janeway with the Borg Queen (Star Trek: Voyager™, 1995-2001)
  • Captain Jonathan Archer with Commander Dolim (Star Trek: Enterprise™, 2001-2005)
  • The classic shuttlecraft Galileo (first appearance in Star Trek, 1966)
  • The Borg cube (first appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation, 1989)

About the stamps
Designed by Signals Design Group and printed by the Lowe-Martin Group, the five stamps featuring Starfleet heroes measure 24 mm by 30 mm and are available in booklets of 10, as a pane of five stamps, and as an uncut press sheet. The shuttlecraft stamp, measuring 24 mm by 20 mm, is available as a coil of 50 stamps. All seven stamps, including the uniquely-shaped Borg cube, which measures 67 mm by 62 mm and is enhanced with holographic foil and embossing, are available ready-to-mail in a prestige booklet. The Official First Day Covers – all cancelled in Vulcan, Alberta, except Kirk’s, which is cancelled in Montréal, Quebec – are available only as a set of seven.

From Canada Post’s Details magazine (philatelic catalogue):

Captain’s log
Stardate: April 27, 2017. A second year on the edge of the final frontier concludes our exploration of the best of Star TrekTM. We’ve discovered seven new stamps and added them to our collection. Led by James T. Kirk (played by Montréal-born William Shatner), they feature three Starfleet captains who followed in his footsteps and one who made humanity’s first foray into interstellar space. Although we have made some great discoveries, our mission has also been dangerous. Starfleet’s finest share their stamps with some of the galaxy’s most nefarious villains. We also learned of a tiny but intrepid shuttlecraft coil stamp and a large, looming Borg design …

TRANSMISSION INTERRUPTED …
INCOMING TRANSMISSION …

We are the Borg. Lower your shields and prepare to be assimilated. Your technological and philatelic distinctiveness will be added to our own. Your stamps will bring us closer to perfection. Resistance is futile.

After Star Trek finished its three-year run in 1969, fans were left yearning for more stories from the stars. William Shatner’s James T. Kirk had captured imaginations and, with fan interest mounting, Star Trek: The Motion Picture debuted in 1979, kicking off six original series feature films – including fan favourite Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. But Kirk did more than inspire fans, he set the standard for every Starfleet captain to come. Five stamps in this issue pay homage to Kirk and his counterparts Jean-Luc Picard, Benjamin Sisko, Kathryn Janeway and Jonathan Archer. These Starfleet heroes saved the galaxy time after time, even in the face of the seemingly unstoppable villains whose likenesses loom in the background. Two other stamps celebrate the intrepid Class-F shuttle and ominous Borg cube.

Designed by Kosta Tsetsekas and Adrian Horvath, of Signals Design Group, these stamps share a similar look to those issued in 2016, with a more modern feel.

“There’s more drama,” says Horvath, adding that, as a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, revisiting the futuristic series stoked a renewed interest in his favourite episodes.

Admiral Kirk vs. Khan Noonien Singh
After completing his original five-year mission and earning a promotion, Admiral James T. Kirk set an unassailable standard for every Starfleet captain. But being stuck behind a desk at Starfleet Command made the aging admiral restless. Kirk rejoined the U.S.S. Enterprise, the first step toward a final show- down with his most cunning and deadly adversary: Khan. Set on revenge, the genetically enhanced superhuman cost Kirk the life of his closest companion.

Captain Picard vs. Locutus of Borg
More “by the book” than Kirk, Captain Jean-Luc Picard led his crew with stern professionalism. When Borg drones invaded the U.S.S. Enterprise-D, they captured and assimilated Picard into the Borg Collective. Renamed Locutus and forced to be the Borg’s spokesperson, Picard was eventually rescued by his crew, though not before he was the Borg’s unwilling agent of destruction. Haunted, Picard finally overcame his demons in a final showdown with the Borg Queen.

Captain Sisko vs. Dukat
Posted to the space station Deep Space 9, near the planet Bajor, Captain Benjamin Sisko took to heart his mission to help the Bajorans recover from the Cardassian occupation. Dukat, the dangerous former prefect of the station, considered Sisko’s new role as a personal affront – and wanted revenge. This animosity led to escalating tensions between the Federation and a new, powerful enemy known as the Dominion, and placed Captain Sisko at the centre of a battle between good and evil.

Captain Janeway vs. the Borg Queen
Sent to pursue renegades known as the Maquis, Captain Kathryn Janeway and the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager thought they’d be home in no time. Unexpectedly, Voyager and a Maquis vessel were transported to the other side of the galaxy. Far from home, the two crews united and began a decades- long journey back to the Federation. In the end, Janeway faced off against the enigmatic Borg Queen and used the Collective’s advanced technology to speed Voyager’s return home.

Captain Archer vs. Commander Dolim
One of Starfleet’s earliest pioneers, Captain Jonathan Archer represented United Earth before the founding of the Federation. In 2153, Archer and the Enterprise NX-01 responded when the mysterious Xindi suddenly attacked Earth. The Enterprise trailed the Xindi to a dangerous region of space known as the Delphic Expanse, where Archer confronted Commander Dolim, a genocidal Xindi-Reptilian convinced that the destruction of humanity would ensure the survival of his people.

The shuttlecraft – Galileo
The U.S.S. Enterprise carried a fleet of shuttlecraft designed for short-range space exploration, planetary landings, and (often) dangerous missions. The first of these shuttles – named Galileo (NCC-1701⁄7) – met an explosive fate in orbit around Taurus II, seconds after its crew was beamed safely to the Enterprise. In honour of the spunky little craft, its name was passed on to future models, making it the most famous of the Enterprise sidekicks.

The Borg
The cybernetic Borg had no interest in diplomacy; they sought only to achieve perfection by assimilating different species. Those assimilated lost all sense of individual identity and became merely an extension of the Borg Collective – a fate many considered worse than death. The appearance of a Borg cube – the Collective’s formidable spaceship – often meant the destruction of a civilization. Resistance, as the Borg said, was futile.

Canada 150: Habitat 67 (Canada 2017)

[press release]
World-renowned architect Moshe Safdie and Canada Post unveil stamp depicting Habitat 67 complex to celebrate Expo 67
Stamp is first in a set of 10 that will capture unforgettable moments of the last 50 years as country celebrates Canada 150

MONTRÉAL, April 27, 2017 /CNW/ – Canada Post and Moshe Safdie, whose revolutionary Habitat 67 modular housing complex earned global accolades as an icon of urban living, today unveiled a stamp with an image of his futuristic structure representing the event for which it was built: Expo 67.

The Expo 67 stamp is the first of 10 to be issued to mark Canada’s 150th year since Confederation. Each one celebrates a significant and unforgettable moment in the life of this country since its centennial in 1967. The 10 moments and achievements, which have become pillars of Canada’s collective memory, were selected by Canada Post’s stamp advisory committee, which includes historians, collectors and artists. A video featuring Safdie and a magazine article about Expo 67 are available at canadapost.ca/Canada150.

Safdie unveiled the stamp in the very building that forever placed his signature on his adopted city. With Habitat 67, Safdie – a bold, brash and brilliant young architect on the verge of launching a significant global career – captured an era of optimism, energy and progress. This project also launched his incredible career that has had him design prestigious buildings around the world, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Quebec Museum of Civilization, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C.

Habitat 67 was perfect for Expo 67, the international festival that transformed its host city of Montréal and the country itself. Canada introduced itself to the world with Expo 67 as a country of seemingly boundless talent and potential. The event brought Canadians from across the country and visitors from around the world together for six months between April and October 1967. When Canada’s population was only 20 million, more than 50 million people attended. That ratio set a per-capita attendance record for a World’s Fair, which still stands. It is widely considered the most successful World’s Fair of the 20th century.

Those six months became a landmark moment for Canada – socially, culturally and politically. Several generations of Canadians have since pointed to it as the signature event of our centennial year. It featured pavilions from 62 countries, as well as Canada’s provinces and territories. It was an opportunity for Canadians to get better acquainted with Quebec culture. It attracted many notable figures of the time, including Queen Elizabeth II, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, Princess Grace of Monaco, Jacqueline Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, and Bing Crosby. The Ed Sullivan Show was broadcast live from Expo 67 twice that May. Many Canadians associate Bobby Gimby’s popular centennial tune Ca-na-da with Expo 67.

With the theme “Man and His World,” the event also showcased Canadian innovation – be it technology, urban planning, industry or architecture. The vision and legacy of Expo 67 still echo today through Montréal’s infrastructure, architecture, public art and the two islands in the St. Lawrence River.

The next stamp in the Canada 150 set will be revealed in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 3. The others will be unveiled individually at cities across the country, the last of them on June 1.

About the stamp
Each of the 10 maple-leaf shaped die-cut PermanentTM domestic-rate stamps measures 40 mm x 40 mm and is printed in 6 colours plus tagging. The self-adhesive stamps are available in a booklet of 10 (4 million stamps). A gummed pane of 10 stamps, with circle perforations 4.5 cm in diameter, is also available (80,000 panes). Official First Day Covers, one for each stamp design and each cancelled in OTTAWA ON, are available in a pack of 10 (10,000 packs). The stamp issue was designed by Roy White and Liz Wurzinger of Subplot Design Inc. in Vancouver, B.C., and printed by the Lowe-Martin Group.

About Moshe Safdie
Moshe Safdie is an architect, urban planner, educator, theorist, and author. Beginning with his architectural thesis at McGill University in 1964 and the pioneering housing complex Habitat 67 in Montréal, Safdie’s design philosophy has been consistently responsive to local historic, cultural, and environmental contexts. With his global firm, Safdie Architects, notable projects include the National Gallery of Canada; Marina Bay Sands in Singapore; Khalsa Heritage Centre in Punjab, India; and the United States Institute of Peace headquarters in Washington, D.C. Safdie has been recognized widely for his enduring influence on the built environment. He is the recipient of the Companion of the Order of Canada, the Gold Medal from both the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the American Institute of Architects, la Médaille du Mérite from the Order of Architects of Québec, and the Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. He continues to inspire the theory and application of ideas about housing, mixed use, and high density in cities around the world.