Canadian exhibitors are proving that the country’s philatelic scholarship, research and collecting expertise can stand alongside the best in the world – and one of Canada’s leading philatelists hopes their success will inspire more collectors to take their exhibits beyond the national level.
That message is at the heart of a feature in the latest issue of Canadian Stamp News, Vol. 51 No. 10, released Aug. 11. The story looks at Canada’s performance at the FIP Macao 2026 World Stamp Exhibition and explores why international exhibiting is about much more than winning medals.
“Canada is well regarded in the international arena,” says Ed Kroft, who represented Canada as commissioner in Macao. A past president of The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada and an experienced international exhibitor, judge, commissioner and delegate, Kroft has seen first-hand how Canadian philately is viewed around the world.
Canadian exhibitors reinforced that reputation in Macao this July, earning strong results against international competition. Among the highlights was a gold medal for David McLaughlin’s Householder Mail in Canada 1889-1989, along with large vermeil medals and strong performances by several other Canadians.
But Kroft believes the greater value of participating internationally lies in exposing collectors from other countries to Canadian material and research. World exhibitions also give Canadians an opportunity to study leading collections, exchange ideas with specialists and develop friendships within a global community that Kroft describes as being “like the United Nations of philately.”
In the new issue of CSN, Kroft discusses what Canadian collectors can expect when moving from national to international competition, why medal levels can change, how the international commissioner system works and why collectors should consider taking the next step. With several major international exhibitions on the horizon through to 2030, he also shares why combining an exhibition with travel can turn the experience into a memorable philatelic holiday.