Canada Post has launched a new set of four permanent-rate stamps on September 29 to honor Orange Shirt Day, continuing its Truth and Reconciliation series. Each stamp, priced at $1.24 and shaped like T-shirts, reflects the somber history of Indian residential schools in Canada, where over 150,000 Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families from the 1830s to the 1990s. The stamps serve as a tribute to the survivors and the children who never returned home, coinciding with the upcoming National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30.
The designs of the stamps celebrate the unique cultures of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis communities. The First Nations stamp features a rising eagle symbolizing strength, while the Inuit stamp represents growth and unity through a spiral design. The Metis stamp incorporates cultural motifs, and a fourth stamp illustrates a mother with her children, symbolizing resilience. This release aims to foster awareness and healing regarding the legacy of residential schools.
Canada Post has printed 150,000 booklets of these stamps, with 7,000 first-day covers canceled in Williams Lake, British Columbia, the birthplace of Orange Shirt Day. While U.S. customers cannot purchase these stamps due to new regulations, they are available for international orders through the Canada Post website. For more details, visit this website.