After two years of lobbying from the International Peace Arch Association (IPAA), Canada Post is considering issuing a commemorative stamp to mark the Peace Arch’s centennial in 2021.
Since 2018, the IPAA – based in Blaine, Wash., and dedicated to honouring the Peace Arch in both countries – has lobbied Canada Post and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to recognize the arch’s centennial.
Dedicated in September 1921 to commemorate the signing of the 1814 Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812, the 20.5-metre-tall Peace Arch stands near the westernmost point of the mainland Canada-U.S. border. Its surrounding areas include Blaine in Washington State plus White Rock and Surrey, both in British Columbia.
Jim Phillips, Canada Post director of stamp services, recently wrote to IPAA President Christine Winkler, who’s also the group’s co-founder, to confirm the proposed Peace Arch stamp will be considered for next year’s stamp program.
“I assure you that this subject is on the list for consideration by the Stamp Advisory Committee for the 2021 stamp program. Final decisions for next year’s stamp program will be made this year,” wrote Phillips in a letter to Winkler, who’s pushing for a potential joint issue between Canada Post and its U.S. counterpart.
In Canada, the Peace Arch Stamp Club has also expressed its support for the commemorative stamp.