September 6, 2007
Ottawa - In 1905, Alberta was established as a province with separate legislative powers and laws. Two years later, it had its own law society. On September 13, Canada Post will issue a domestic rate stamp celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Law Society of Alberta.
From the beginning, the Law Society of Alberta has had many progressive initiatives, including an assurance fund, mandatory liability insurance for lawyers, legal aid, and a lawyer's referral system. The Law Society of Alberta will host the official stamp unveiling on September 13 at noon in the foyer of Edmonton City Hall.
Designer Xerxes Irani of nonfiction studios inc. has created a stamp that blends a variety of symbols into a snapshot featuring a gavel and a legal library. A photograph of James Muir, the Society's first President, lies alongside the books, and the Society's original seals are embedded on the books' spines. nonfiction studios inc. has previously contributed to the pair of stamps Canada Post and Ireland's An Post issued to showcase Biospheres Reserves in both countries, and the stamp marking the 100th anniversary of the Alpine Club of Canada.
The 52-cent stamp commemorating the centenary of the Law Society of Alberta will be offered in panes of 16 stamps and Lowe-Martin will print 2,000,000 stamps on Tullis Russell paper using lithography in 8 colours. The stamps measure 40 mm x 23 mm (horizontal), are general tagged on all four sides, and backed by PVA gum. The Official First Day Cover is of particular interest in that the cancellation features the seal of The Law Society of Alberta as well as the date of issue and reads LEGAL AB.
More information on this commemorative stamp is available in the Newsroom section of the Canada Post Web site; a high-resolution photo of the stamp is available in the Photo Centre of the Newsroom. The 16-stamp pane 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.
