Stamp designs seminar entertaining, revealing
When it comes to subjects considered for Canadian stamps, as the Rolling Stones song goes: "You can't always get what you want." But that doesn't mean people should stop submitting ideas. It may take time for approval, but dozens of topics are featured annually and catalogues clearly show expanded themes in recent decades. Various tests are applied by Canada Post staff and Citizens Advisory Committee appointees, explained Jim Phillips, Ottawa-based director of stamp services, during a seminar at the National Postage Stamp and Coin Show in Mississauga, Ont. on March 25. Commemoratives and definitives often require two years of planning. Obvious exclusions include proposals considered criminal, in bad taste, overly foreign based and blatant commercial advertising. Businesses have been featured, including in sponsored Prestige Booklets, but they were judged to have contributed to Canadian culture. Continue reading →