Canadian International Mail Censored During the Elizabethan Period

From the mid-twentieth century to this day, the Middle East and India-Pakistan conflicts have continued without abatement. During periods of imminent or actual armed conflict, civilian mail has been censored. This article looks at examples of Canadian outbound mail which has been censored by receiving nations.

Middle East Conflict

Israel


Toronto to Haifa, April 18, 1955
25 cents paying the air mail letter rate

The letter was opened by Israeli authorities. Presumably the contents of the letter required registration. Registration service was provided in Israel (Haifa registration label applied).
The addressee was required to pay a fee of 100 protos for the compulsory registration.



100 protots postage due stamp paying compulsory registration
Censorship tape used to seal the envelope as well as a red wax seal




Victoria to Ramat Gan, December 13, 1960
50 cents paying the 1 ounce (double weight) air mail rate


Censor tape to seal the envelope


Egypt


Montreal to Alexandria, Egypt, May 7, 1970
25 cents air mail rate to Egypt



Censor tape to seal the envelope


India-Pakistan Conflict



Ottawa to Karachi, January 14, 1965
25 cents airmail rate + 35 cents registration fee (5 cents overpayment)



PAKISTAN CENSORSHIP K-10 PASSED BY CENSOR




Pointe Claire to Karachi, December_ 1971
15 cents one ounce air mail rate

KR-196 censor handstamp



Opened by censor and sealed with brown tape


Opened by Censor

1961 Arthur Meighen

Arthur Meighen (1874-1960) was the ninth Prime Minister of Canada from July 10 to December 29, 1921 replacing Prime Minister Robert Borden who had resigned. From 1921 to 1926 he was the opposition leader. He was asked to form a government by Governor General Byng when the Liberal Prime Minister Mackenzie King lost the confidence of the house. Meighen's second term was brief, from June 29 to September 25, 1926. His Conservative government lost the confidence of the House by one vote. Byng called an election and Meighen was swept from power and replaced by Mackenzie King.

National Archives of Canada 

 National Film Board drawing  used by stamp designer Harvey Prosser as the model for the Meighen stamp.

Prosser Essay

National Archives of Canada

Issued Stamp

The Arthur Meighen stamp was issued on April 19, 1961.

First Day Covers








































Usages

Domestic Forward Letter


Vankleek Hill to Ottawa, June 24, 1961
5 cents domestic forward letter rate

UPU Surface Letter



Copper Cliff to Ledbersdorf, Austria, May 1 1961
6 cents UPU surface letter rate

Shortpaid 1 cent and taxed 10 centimes

The Austrian post office opened and resealed the letter:

The letter was not claimed and was returned to the sender:


Returned from Ledbersdorf, May 31, 1961


Non Reclame label

Canadian Undeliverable Mail Office

Undeliverable mail with return addresses from such destinations as Austria were not returned directly to the sender but were handled by the Undeliverable Mail Office. Each item of returned mail was charged 5 cents.



Montreal Undeliverable Mail Office handstamp
No. 17, June 17, 1961

Charge


A 5 cent charge handstamp was applied but the denomination was changed to 7 cents "07"
The additional 2 cents was the charge for the original amount that was shortpaid.

Vincent Massey


Vincent Massey (1887-1967) was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Confederation. He came from a prominent Canadian family – successful in business and active in philanthropy. His brother was the popular actor Raymond Massey, and his father was president of the Massey-Harris Company, known worldwide for manufacturing agricultural equipment.In 1926, he was appointed first Canadian Minister to Washington and then High Commissioner to London in 1935.

On February 26, 1952, Massey was sworn in as governor general of Canada, the first Canadian-born individual to be appointed to the post. Mr. Massey's term as Governor General was extended twice, first by Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent, and then by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker before he left office on September 15, 1959.

Mail from Governor General Massey's Secretary

Mail sent by the Secretary to the Governor General was free of postage.


From the Secretary to the Governor General to the Mayor of Chatham, Ontario, March 24, 1953
Free postage
Registration fee 20 cents ( Official 20 cent stamp)



Ottawa to Kingston, July 26, 1953
Correspondence to a speech writer





Ottawa to Quebec, December 16, 1953




Mailed from Quebec City

The Citadel in Quebec City is the secondary residence for the Governor General.


Local Quebec correspondence, September16, 1954


Batterwood House, Port Hope

After his term as Governor General, he retired to Batterwood, his home near Port Hope, Ontario. The letter below, signed by Vincent Massey, was mailed a short time after the end of his term.





Batterwood House, Port Hope, Ontario


Vincent Massey Commemorative Stamp

The Massey commemorative stamp was issued on February 20, 1969