Canada Post’s second-quarter stamps offer some new commemoratives and a few continuations of existing programs. April 9 will see the launch of a stamp honouring the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment (PWOR), based in Kingston, Ont. The regiment was formed in 1863, during a great Canadian militia reorganization, from seven previously independent companies. The regiment was first deployed in 1866, when it was called out first to the Niagara area, and later to Cornwall, Ont., to deter Fenian raids. In 1870 members participated in the federal expedition to Manitoba and later in 1885 the regiment served in the North West Rebellion.
Like other militia regiments, the PWOR provided volunteers to serve in the Boer War of 1899. During the First World War, some members joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force to Europe, while others served locally, including at an internment camp at Fort Henry. During the Second World War, the regiment again served in Canada. In addition to members who volunteered for service in other units, the PWOR provided officers and men to the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders regiment, seeing action on the D-Day Juno Beach landings. Since the war, members of the PWOR have served in peacekeeping missions, as well as Korea and Afghanistan.
The stamp was created by Dave Sasha, of Sputnik Design, who also created the three previous stamps in the series. The design shows four members of the regiment in uniforms from the 1800s through the two world wars and the present era. It has the permanent domestic rate used for most contemporary stamps. The soldiers on the stamp are modelled on actual members of the regiment. The booklet includes photographs of PWOR soldiers over the years, some of which are included on the official first-day cover. Lowe-Martin produced two million stamps in booklets of 10, using seven-colour lithography. The stamps are self-adhesive with simulated perforations, and are produced on Tullis Russell paper with general four-side tagging. The OFDC cancel is from Kingston and consists of the regimental crest and the number 150.
Stamps promote animal welfare
Several animal-welfare organizations have participated in the creation of a five-stamp program around the theme adopt a pet. The participating agencies – the Toronto Humane Society, Toronto Parrot Sanctuary, and Canadian Federal of Human Societies – are stressing the importance of adopting animals from shelters. In 2010, nearly 150,000 homeless pets were admitted to shelters.
Designer Monika Melnychuk created a design in which peeling the stamps from the booklet releases the animal from a cage, symbolizing the animal leaving the shelter to a new home. Fine lines behind each animal represent its dream of an ideal home. The animals shown on the stamps – two dogs, two cats, and a parrot – are actual shelter animals, and their stories are included on the booklet and the OFDC. All five stamps are permanent domestic rate. Lowe-Martin will produce five million stamps in booklets of 10, and 180,000 in souvenir sheets of five stamps. The stamps will be printed on Tullis Russell paper using six-colour lithography plus varnish and three-side tagging. The booklets are self-adhesive with simulated perforations, while the souvenir sheets are water-activated with 13-plus perforations. The OFDC, dated April 22, is from Ottawa.
Chinatown gates in Canada
Eight stamps will be issued showing Canadian Chinatown gates. Traditionally, in China, gates were used to separate subdivisions in cities. Over they years they became more ornamental. In the late 1990s they began to appear in Canadian cities as symbols of harmony and co-operation between Canadian and Chinese governments, businesses, and citizens. The eight gates shown on the stamps are located in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Mississauga, Ont., Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Victoria, B.C. Each gate is unique, and each stamp was painted in watercolour by a different artist from the community celebrated on the stamp.
The stamps will be produced in booklets of eight, but there is also a souvenir sheet representing the shape of a Chinese coin and an uncut press sheet. Lowe-Martin will print 4.8 million stamps in booklets, 250,000 souvenir sheets, and 2,500 uncut press sheets. The booklet stamps will be produced in six-colour lithography with simulated perforations and pressure-sensitive adhesive. The sheets will be produced in six-colour lithography with additional foil stamping. They are water-activated with 13-plus perforations. All versions will be printed on Tullis Russell paper with four-side tagging. The OFDC is dated May 1 and has a Victoria cancel.
Queen’s coronation marked
The 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II is the subject of a commemorative stamp slated for issue on May 8. Although Elizabeth II became Queen on Feb. 6, 1952, the day her father King George VI died, the coronation did not take place until 16 months later, on June 2, 1953. The stamp is based on a painting by Canadian artist Philip James Richards done for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The portrait, which now hangs in Rideau Hall, shows Elizabeth as Queen of Canada, wearing her Canadian honours, with her hand resting on a copy of the British North America Act of 1867.
Shown in he background is a portrait of Queen Victoria in her coronation robes. Victoria, who came to the throne in 1838, was queen at the time of Confederation. The stamps will be issued in booklets of 10 and have the permanent domestic rate. Canadian Bank Note will produce 3.5 million stamps on Tullis Russell paper with four-side tagging using five-colour lithography. There is an OFDC and a philatelic numismatic cover with an as-yet undisclosed coin. Both have an Ottawa cancel.
Big Brothers and Sisters honoured
A permanent domestic-rate stamp marks the 100th anniversary of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada. The program started out in Cincinnati, when businessman Irvin Westheimer convinced colleagues to mentor boys whose fathers had died. The goal was to reduce youth crime and poverty. The organization moved to Canada in 1913, originally organized through the Toronto juvenile court system. Big Sisters formed around the same time and eventually both merged into the present form.
The stamp was designed by Dennis Page and Oliver Hill. Lowe-Martin produced 1.8 million stamps on Tullis Russell paper with four-side tagging using five-colour lithography. The self-adhesives will be sold in booklets of 10, with simulated perforations. There is also an OFDC dated May 14, with a Toronto cancel.
Get your motor running …
Few Canadians realize that this country has a long history of motorcycle production going back more than 100 years. Among the first motorcycles produced in this country was the 1908 model produced by the Canadian Cycle and Motor Company (CCM) using a Swiss-designed engine installed on a conventional bike frame. In 1912, Hendee Manufacturing Co., of Massachusetts opened a factory in Toronto producing Indian motorcycles. The second stamp in the series shows a model 1914 Indian. Matthew Warburton, himself a motorcycle enthusiast, designed Canada Post’s upcoming tribute to the motorcycle. His simple designs show a top view and side view of each bike.
Canadian Bank Note will produce 3.5 million stamps in booklets of 10, plus 170,000 souvenir sheets and 5,000 uncut press sheets of 12 souvenir sheets. The stamps will be printed on Tullis Russell paper with four-side tagging using five-colour lithography. The booklets are self-adhesive with simulated perforations, while the sheets are water-activated with 13-plus perforations. The OFDC has a June 5, cancel from Port Dover, Ont., a town where motorcycle enthusiasts gather every Friday the 13th.
Franklin’s role in Canadian postal history remembered
Benjamin Franklin appears on an upcoming stamp marking 250 years of postal history in Canada. Franklin, who was postmaster general of British North America, opened the first Canadian post office in Halifax. In 1763, Hugh Finlay became postmaster general of Quebec. He quickly arranged for additional service between Montreal and New York to match a mail packet sailing to Britain.
The stamp, by Andrew Perro, shows Franklin in the foreground, with the harbour of Quebec in the background. It has the permanent domestic rate. Lowe-Martin will produce 1.35 million stamps in booklets of 10, using seven-colour lithography and four-side tagging. The self-adhesive stamps have simulated perforations and are printed on Tullis Russell paper. The OFDC dated June 10 is from Quebec.