Although never really considered a member of the space club, the United Kingdom has issued a set of stamps marking that nation’s role in the exploration of space. The stamps, released Oct. 18, are exciting in that they show images of the solar system taken from European Space Agency probes, partly funded by Britain. This... Continue reading →
On a clear night, you can look up and see most of the planets, if you know where to look, with your naked eyes. If you do it often, they become familiar enough that you begin to recognize them without thinking. Jupiter in its glory, blazing Venus, and even Saturn are not that hard to... Continue reading →
While I write this, the government’s events to mark the War of 1812 are kicking into high gear. This fall marks a few key events: the captures of Fort Mackinaw and Detroit by Major-General Sir Isaac Brock, and the repulsion of an American invasion at the Battle of Queenston Heights. Of course the war wasn’t... Continue reading →
One of next year’s Black History stamps has already been announced, a stamp honouring 78-year-old jazz great Oliver Jones. The Montreal-born musician grew up just a few doors down from Oscar Peterson, and at one time studied piano under Daisy Peterson Sweeney, the performer’s sister. Jones was a child prodigy who started playing songs by... Continue reading →
They depict, as do dozens of other secular Christmas stamps, Canadians outdoors in winter. My thoughts went to the scene, a man in snowshoes following a woman on a toboggan pulled by a dog. They appear to be delivering a present. It occurred to me that I have never seen anyone successfully get a dog... Continue reading →
Redevelopment of the Canadian Museum of Civilization will see an end to the Canadian Postal Museum, but not to postal exhibits and collections. On Oct. 16, Minister of Canadian Heritage James Moore announced that the Canadian Museum of Civilization would become the Canadian Museum of History, with the transition to be completed by 2017, Canada’s... Continue reading →
Today, more than 40 years after man first walked on the moon, and when transatlantic flights are taken with a grain of salt, we have to strain to think about what it must have been like for those early adventurers. First off, they didn’t have autopilot, GPS, satellites, radar, and constant radio contact with the... Continue reading →
Canada Post has issued a commemorative envelope for the 125th anniversary of the Royal Conservatory (RC), one of the largest and most respected music and arts education institutions in the world. As it grew to become one of the dominant musical institutions in Canada, so did its reputation for professional training, its national examination system,... Continue reading →
It seems that Canadian football fell out of fashion and everyone began watching the “important” teams from south of the border. You know, those guys who play on a smaller field and need an extra down to try to make 10 yards. The CFL, by nature of being Canadian, seemed to be somehow less, especially... Continue reading →
A corporate use of picture postage has created a stir in the stamp collecting community. In early November, Canada Post outlets started selling packages of Turtles chocolate candies with prepaid postage using the new oversize-rate stamp that is now part of the picture postage series. It was the first use of the new rate, which... Continue reading →