I have to admit that I am a big fan of the British television series Dr. Who. For most of my life I have been watching a succession of “doctors” battle a selection of British actors in rubber masks through space or time. The series, which is now 50 years old, obviously has staying power.... Continue reading →
New releases for the new year honour great Canadians, celebrate our birth months and help us see the flowery side of life. First, on Feb. 1, Canada Post will issue two stamps for Black History Month. This year’s stamps will honour jazz great Oliver Jones and Seraphim “Joe” Fortes, the longtime lifeguard and swimming instructor... Continue reading →
When a successful post office that serves a large number of people is closed and replaced with a back corner of a drugstore, that isn’t converting from one type of post office to another, it is a definite and permanent reduction in service. It is also a definite and permanent reduction in cost for Canada... Continue reading →
Canada Post is coming under fire over more post office closures and sorting station reductions. In Windsor, Ont., MP Brian Masse is leading a fight to keep the Sandwich Post Office open, and to retain jobs at a local sorting facility. One of the arguments in favour of retaining the post office is the historic... Continue reading →
Now I really do believe that these machines add some fun to collecting. In my perfect world, of course, they would not be necessary. I would much rather see honest-to-goodness post offices staffed by real postal workers within easy reach of all Canadians. In this mythical world, these workers would all be well-versed on philatelic... Continue reading →
“As you can imagine, Canada Post is constantly looking for innovative ways to provide service to the changing needs of its customers.” Losier said. The kiosks were set up without fanfare or announcement. In fact, Canada Post did not comment on the kiosks officially until a late January announcement on the firm’s Facebook page. Losier... Continue reading →
Sometimes, I have to admire Deepak Chopra’s decision to take the helm of Canada Post. With all respect to Moya Greene, what he took over was a sinking ship with a striking crew. Still above water to be sure, but taking on water. The real challenge remains the corporation’s difficult relations with its staff. To... Continue reading →
Canada Post has launched the official first-day cover (OFDC) bearing one of the stamps dispensed from its kiosks, part of a pilot project running in major cities. The cover, which had been the subject of some speculation, shows a kiosk stamp with a value of 61 cents, the domestic rate when the first prototypes of... Continue reading →
While the digital version will be pretty much the same as the print version, except for hot links inside ads and editorial content, I do believe that electronic content offers a much better experience for the reader. I’m not talking about gimmicks, such as virtual reality games that almost nobody plays. I see opportunities for... Continue reading →
Although 51,000 were printed, only 1,510 had been sold by 1857 when the remainder were recalled and destroyed. Printed by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edson, the 12-penny black was part of Canada’s first series of postage stamps. The design was based on a portrait of a young Queen Victoria by Alfred Edward Chalon. Victoria was... Continue reading →