Canada Post stamp releases (2005–2009)

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From 2005 to 2009, Canada Post released many stamps with a wide range of designs and themes. Some stamp series ran for several years. The 400th Anniversary of the French Settlement in North America started in 2004 and continued through 2008. The Chinese Lunar New Year stamps were issued annually, each year featuring a different animal.

In 2005, Canada Post began putting living people on stamps, starting with Oscar Peterson. The popular NHL legends series ended during this period, highlighting stars like Henri Richard and Johnny Bucyk. In 2007, a four-stamp set celebrated Canadian music legends Paul Anka, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, and Anne Murray, printed with the MetalFX process.

Conservation stamps appear every year, issued by the Quebec Wildlife Foundation to fund wildlife habitat projects in Quebec. These annual issues are noted in the Canada Post Stamp Details Magazine.

Canadian Stamp News runs an annual survey asking collectors for their favorite and least-favorite stamps in categories such as Favourite Canadian Stamps and Most Relevant Stamps.

Stamp subjects are chosen by the Stamp Advisory Committee, not by Canada Post. The committee aims for a balanced program that reflects Canadian history, heritage, and tradition. Citizens can suggest ideas, but recently used subjects aren’t accepted. The committee plans about two years ahead and can approve around 20 subjects per year. Once a subject is chosen, Canada Post’s Stamp Products group researches and hires two design firms. Designs are submitted to the committee anonymously. The process has remained largely the same for decades.

If you want to suggest a stamp subject, send ideas to: Chairperson of the Stamp Advisory Committee, Canada Post, Ottawa.

Canada Post has won several stamp-printing awards. It won the Desheng Cup for best printing for the Big Cats Canada/China joint issue (the Canadian cougar and Amur leopard). In 2006, Canada Post and Bradbury Branding and Design won an ACE Award of Honour for the Saskatchewan 1905–2005 stamp issue. Also in 2006, Canada Post and the Lowe-Martin Group won three awards from the IAPHC International Gallery of Superb Printing for excellent stamp production, including Gold for the Year of the Dog uncut press sheet and for the Biosphere Reserves Canada/Ireland joint issue featuring the cougar and leopard. The IAPHC is an international organization that supports printing and graphic arts.