1970 Expo 70


Expo '70 was a World's Fair held in Suita, Osaka, Japan between March 15 and September 13, 1970. The theme of the Expo was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." Seventy-seven countries attended the event and, the number of visitors reached 64,218,770 people, one of the largest and best attended expositions in history.

The Government of Canada, and the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, each built a pavillion at Expo 70. Canada Post issued a set of four 25 cent commemorative stamps, one for each Canadian participant at the fair. The stamps for the provincial representatives featured the Expo 70 logo and the province's floral emblem. The stamp for Canada's participation had the logos of Expo 67 and Expo 70 with the words "Je me souviens/I remember".


National Archives of Canada


First Day Covers

Canada Post Office Publicity First Day Cover




Sterling Offices of Canada Limited

Jackson




H and E

H and E produced four different cachets for the Expo '70 issue, one for each stamp.













Rosecraft






Kingswood (Fleetwood)













David Pritchard

Winnipeg Tag




Usages


Montreal local mail, April 7, 1970
6 cents letter rate + 50 cents registration fee



Ottawa to Natal, July 28, 1970


Japan Expo '70 Stamps

United Nations Operation in the Congo
1960 - 1964
Canadian Military Mail
Soon after gaining independence from Belgium in June 1960, the Republic of Congo fell into a state of disorder. Belgium moved in 10,000 troops. The United Nations was asked to provide a force to help the Congolese authorities restore order and deal with the separatist threat of the Province of Katanga. The United Nations established the United Nations Operation in the Congo ("ONUC").

Over the next four years, the task of the ONUC was to help the Congolese Government restore and maintain the political independence and territorial integrity of the Congo; to help it maintain law and order throughout the country; and to put into effect a wide and long-range programme of training and technical assistance.

Canada's principal mission was to set up and maintain the UN communication system. Free mail privileges were approved for the UN force. Canadian CFPO 5046 operated at Leopoldville.


No. 57 Canadian Signal Unit

The 57 Canadian Signal Squadron was established at Barriefield and flown to Africa for United Nations duty in the Congo . The advance party arrived in Leopoldville on August11, 1960. On October 27 1960 the squadron combined with the Canadian Headquarters element and was redesignated 57 Canadian Signal Unit. The force returned to Canada in 1964.



No. 57 Canadian Signal Unit to Camp Borden, December 11, 1961
Free Mail
"OPERATION DES NATIONS UNIES AU CONGO" handstamp



No. 57 Canadian Signal Unit to Toronto, September 23, 1963
CAPO 5046 ONUC return address


Post Card




UNOC to Brantford, October 3, 1963

The sender was returning home 12 days after mailing the post card. He writes, "I hope you like this picture as it is the only one I could get".


United Nations Stamps

On October 24, the United Nations Postal Administration issued a set of two stamps to recognize the United Nations Operation in the Congo.

Velvatone (Flocked) Cachet



Overseas Mailers


Insert

1970 International Biological Programme


The International Biological Programme (IBP) involved large-scale ecological and environmental studies from 1964 to 1974. More than one hundred and fifty scientists, students, and assistants in different disciplines from Canadian university and government laboratories were engaged in detailed studies of functioning ecosystems. The main results of the IBP were five biome studies, the largest of which were the Grassland Biome project and the Eastern Deciduous Forest Biome project.






The Canadian IBP stamp , issued on February 18, 1970, shows a microscopic view of a leaf.


National Archives of Canada


First Day Covers


Canada Post Office Publicity First Day Cover




Schering Corporation






Canada Envelope Company







Jackson




Overseas Mailers




H & E




David Pritchard




Ayerst Laboratory






Rosecraft











Usages

Domestic Letter


Toronto, March 11, 1970
6 cents domestic letter rate

GO Transit
30th Anniversary 1997
Government of Ontario Transit (GO Transit) was created and funded by the Ontario government in 1967 to provide transit service for Toronto-bound suburban commuters.

On May 23, 1997, a post card celebrating the 30th anniversary of GO Transit was handed out to GO passengers.







The souvenir card was cancelled on May 23, 1997, at the Commerce Court, Toronto, postal outlet. Commerce Court is a complex of four buildings on King and Bay Streets in the financial heart of the city.

Toronto "PATH" Walkway



GO trains arrive at the Union Station railway terminal which is connected to the Toronto "PATH" underground walkway linking over 50 office buildings. The Commerce Court postal outlet was located in the PATH walkway.


PATH walkway

United Nations Force in Cyprus
Canadian Forces Mail



The United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was established in March 1964 to prevent a Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1964 and to keep the peace between the Greek-Cypriot (78% of population) and Turkish-Cypriot (18% of population) factions. From March 1964 to September 1993, Canada was one of the major contributors of troops to the UNFICYP.

Free mail privileges for UNIFICYP were not approved by the United Nations. The Canadian Postal Corps opened a post office in March, 1964 to handle Canadian forces correspondence.

The main post office was CFPO 5001 (re-designated from CAPO 5001, January 1, 1965).

Forces Air Letter


CFPO 5001 to Picton, March 24, 1965
5 cents Forces Air Letter rate



CFPO 5001 to London, February 27, 1967
5 cents force air letter rate


Surface Letter : 9 ounces


Large circular CFPO 5001 handstamp, December 16, 1967
9 ounce surface letter containing "Photo"
29 cents paying the 9 ounce surface letter rate :





UNFICYP Stationery


CFPO 5001 to Oromocto, New Brunswick, January 27, 1968
15 cents air mail letter rate
Double weight 30 cents
Since only 50% of the air mail rate was prepaid (75% required), the letter was not sent by air mail
Handstamp : "SHORTPAID FOR AIR CONVEYANCE"


Postage Paid


CFPO 5001 to St. Hubert, August 15, 1968
Postage Paid envelope


"Certified Official"


Surface Letter


Surface letter to Calgary, May 17, 1970
6 cents surface letter rate to Canada


Registration


CFPO 5001 to Ottawa, August 10, 1971
7 cents surface letter rate + 50 cents registration fee
CFPO Registration handstamp


Christmas Card : Royal 22nd Regiment


To Buffalo, December 10, 1971
7 cents surface letter rate to the United States







Chaplain, Canadian Contingent



To CFS Val Cartier, Courcelette, July 23, 1974
8 cents surface letter rate to Canada


Re-Designed Forces Air Letter


To Port Elgin, January 21, 1975
8 cents Forces Air Letter rate



To Nairn Centre, October 10, 1976
10 cents Forces Air Letter rate


20th Anniversary Souvenir Cover and Cancellation