April 26, 2007
Ottawa - Canada Post will issue on May 3rd a domestic rate and international rate commemorative stamp to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Ottawa as the nation's capital.
Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the Capital of the United Province of Canada in 1857. Prior to that, Kingston, Montreal, Toronto and Quebec were competing to become the permanent capital of the newly united colony. The final decision was then referred to Queen Victoria. The formal notice of Queen Victoria's decision was written in a letter by Henry Labouchere, Colonial Secretary, in December 31, 1857 to Sir Edmund Head, Governor General, which read, in part "I am commanded by the Queen to inform you that in the judgment of Her Majesty, the City of Ottawa combines greater advantages than any other place in Canada for the permanent seat of the future Government of the Province, and is selected by Her Majesty accordingly."
Then a small border town between the main cities of Lower Canada (Québec and Montréal) and Upper Canada (Kingston and Toronto), Ottawa is now Canada's fourth largest city. In keeping with that, when Ottawa celebrates its 150th anniversary as the nation's capital it will also celebrate the legacy of a Queen who, along with her advisers, saw promise where others saw only a "lumber village". The stamp's background depicts a historical representation of Ottawa at the time it became the nation's capital, while the foreground depicts the modern city it has become.
The self-adhesive domestic rate stamp measures 58 mm x 32 mm (horizontal) and its perforations are kiss cut. The international rate stamp, found only on the souvenir sheet, is embossed and printed with the foil stamping process. The souvenir sheet is backed by PVA gum, has 13+ perforations and measures 119 mm x 117 mm (horizontal). The stamps are printed on Tullis Russell paper using lithography in seven colours. Lowe-Martin printed three million stamps available in booklets of eight and 300,000 Souvenir Sheets. They are general tagged on four sides. The Official First Day Cover will bear the cancel OTTAWA ON.
More information on the Ottawa stamp is available in the Newsroom section of the Canada Post website; a high-resolution photo of the Ottawa commemorative stamp is available in the Photo Centre of the Newsroom. The stamp and Official First Day Cover will be available at participating post offices, online following the links on the Canada Post Web site (www.canadapost.ca) or by mail from the National Philatelic Centre. From Canada or the United States, call toll-free 1 800 565-4362; from other countries call 902 863-6550.
For more information on the celebrations planned for the 150th anniversary of the Capital choice, the public can contact the NCC at 613 239-5000 or 1 800-774-1857 or visit the website at www.1857.gc.ca.
