For the third consecutive year, Canada Post will mark National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21 by issuing a series of three stamps that celebrate Indigenous leaders.
This year, the stamps honor Elisapie, Josephine Mandamin, and Christi Belcourt for their significant contributions to environmental advocacy and the rights and cultures of the Inuit, First Nations, and Métis communities.
The multi-year stamp series, initiated in 2022, aims to recognize Indigenous leaders who have dedicated their lives to preserving their culture and improving the quality of life for Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The 2024 stamps will be unveiled and celebrated at local events in Montréal, Quebec, and Thunder Bay and Ottawa, Ontario.
Elisapie Stamp Unveiling: Montréal, June 13
Elisapie (b. Elisapie Isaac, 1977), an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, director, producer, and activist from Salluit in Nunavik, northern Quebec, will be celebrated with a stamp unveiling in Montréal on June 13 at 5 p.m. ET. Elisapie is a talented storyteller who writes and sings in Inuktitut, English, and French. She has dedicated her life to raising awareness of Inuit language, heritage, and culture through her artistic endeavors. 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: Thunder Bay, June 18
Josephine Mandamin (1942-2019), born on the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, will be honored with a stamp unveiling in Thunder Bay on June 18 at 11 a.m ET. A residential school Survivor, Mandamin was an Anishinaabe Elder and world-renowned water-rights activist. Known as Grandmother Water Walker, she co-founded the Mother Earth Water Walk movement to address water pollution and environmental degradation in the Great Lakes and on First Nations reserves. Her accolades include the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation (2015) and the Meritorious Service Cross – Civil Division (2017). Mandamin’s legacy continues through community water walks and the efforts of the dedicated Anishinaabe women she mentored.
Christi Belcourt Stamp Celebration: Ottawa, June 25
Christi Belcourt (b. 1966), a Métis visual artist and environmentalist, will be honored with a stamp celebration in Ottawa on June 25 at 11 a.m. ET. Known for her intricate paintings that emulate Métis floral beadwork, Belcourt was born in Scarborough, Ontario, 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, honor her ancestors, and advocate for the protection of land and water, supporting 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 honoring the lives of missing or murdered Indigenous women, Two-Spirit people, and children.
These new stamps and collectibles will be available for purchase at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada starting June 21, providing collectors and admirers a unique opportunity to celebrate and honor the remarkable contributions of these Indigenous leaders.