Images of Canada: A Nation in Postage Stamps

Desmond Maley is a librarian with the J.W. Tate Library, Huntington
College, Laurentian University.

One way of learning about Canada’s history is to collect its postage
stamps. More than 1300 definitive and commemorative stamps have appeared
since the first stamp, the famous three-penny beaver, was issued in
1851. Early stamps were mainly portraits of members of the British Royal
Family, and the Royal Family has remained a favorite theme. But
gradually the stamps also came to reflect an emerging national
consciousness.

Images of Canada, by popular historian Donaldson, traces Canadian
history using stamps as illustrations. In topical style, he shows how
stamps depict explorers, settlers, inventors, and politicians.
Technological achievements, recreational activities, wildlife, and the
environment are also depicted. Chapters are devoted to Native people and
women; interestingly, however, until 20 years ago, the nation’s stamps
scarcely represented these groups. Even today, there is little
indication of the multicultural dimension of our heritage.

Nevertheless, Donaldson’s upbeat and entertaining writing style suits
the material, and the book contains fine photographs, many of which are
in color.

Images of Canada was published in association with Canada Post
Corporation. It contains order forms to establish accounts with the
corporation, as well as a packet of stamps worth more than $5.00. These
stamps undoubtedly helped to inflate the books price, which is expensive
for such a slender volume. Whether this book is intended for adults or
children is not clear, but it seems to be meant for the latter.