Domestic Second Class Matter Regulations 1957

The Summer 1957 issue of Quebec Diocesan Gazette ("Gazette") shown below brings to life Canada Post Office's postal regulations dealing with domestic Second Class Matter.

The Gazette was mailed in July, 1957 at Quebec City to subscriber Mrs. V.F. Bartlett also of Quebec City. The 44 page publication was franked with a 2 cent Wilding definitive stamp. This post shows how the publisher of the Gazette complied with all the applicable Second Class Matter regulations found in the Canada Official Postal Guide 1957.

 

 One of several pages dealing with Second Class Matter in the Postal Guide

Definition of Second Class Matter

The Gazette was a periodical ( published 5 times yearly) published in the City of Quebec.


Statutory Conditions

Content and Publishing Intervals

 

The Gazette index demonstrates that it consists in great part of "political or other news, or of articles relating thereto, or to other current topics.

The Gazette was "published regularly at intervals of not more than three month."

Title, Place and Date of Publication, and Number of Issue

The Quebec Diocesan Gazette (full name printed) was published in the City of Quebec. 

The issue was Vol. LXIX-No.3, published "Summer, 1957"

Examination by Postmaster General and Endorsement

The Gazette's endorsement on page 7 was printed on the  fifth page of the publication if the front and back of a sheet equals one  page. (I don't know if the Gazette did this correctly.)

Size Limit

 The Gazette's approximate 1 foot 8 inches combined length and girth is well within the 6 foot limit.


 Rate

 

 The Gazette was mailed by its publisher to a bona fide subscriber, within the place of its office, Quebec City.

 Quebec City, July 1957

 Having taken the reader through all the above regulations I now reach a problem area- the basis for the 2 cent rate. This is what the regulation says:

Is it 2 cents per lb. or 1 cent for the first 2 oz., etc.? Either way the rate would have been 2 cents. But in my opinion the regulation is ambiguous. I could make a case for either one. I simply don't know. So after a detailed review of the regulations we end on a fuzzy note. The journey was interesting though.

Picture Postage Stamps

Canada Post Corporation's temporary withdrawal of "Permanent" stamps reminded me of the 2001 "Picture Postage" booklet I had in my collection.

 

 The stamps are non-denominated (47 cents when issued) but printed Domestic Lettermail

This is how Canada Post Corporation described the stamps in its press release:

Designer Steven Spazuk has given Greeting Stamps a fresh new look. The mahogany frame has been replaced with a new "Baby" frame, and the "Thank You/Merci" sticker has been replaced with a picture of white baby shoes. The four frames retained from the previous set are: silver, gold leaf, "Love," and Christmas; the remaining four stickers are: maple leaf, pen, heart, and holly. As before, the frames can be positioned either horizontally or vertically, but the new design shows no denomination. Each booklet of five frames and five stickers includes a Picture Postage™ order form so customers can order their own personalized photo stickers to combine with these frames and create their own unique stamps.

When I first thought of writing this post, my intention was to provide information about these "Permanent" stamp precursors but I discovered a well-researched and illustrated website that covers the topic better than I could ever dream of accomplishing. I invite you to visit  BRC Stamp's "Picture Postage Stamps of Canada" site. Great work. Can we expect an update?

1995 Undenominated Stamp Issues

In 1995, Canada Post Corporation (CPC) did a most unusual thing. It issued stamps without denominations. In this era of "P" (permanent) stamps this may not appear to be a significant action but it was quite bizarre in 1995.  The first non-denominated stamp was issued on May 1, 1995 commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Canadian flag.

This was followed on May 5, 1995, by a set of 5 non-denominated stamps issued in se-tenant format featuring the Fortress and town of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia.  The issue marked the 275th anniversary of the official founding of the fortress; the 250th anniversary of the siege by the New Englanders; the 100th anniversary of the commemoration by the Society of Colonial Wars; and the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the Sydney and Louisbourg (S & L) Railway.

 Se-tenant set of 5 stamps

The domestic letter rate at that time was 43 cents. The rate increased to 45 cents on August 1, 1995. These were the only stamps that were issued without denominations in 1995. Subsequent issues to July 14, 1995 were printed with 43 cent denominations.Although there has been speculation that CPC issued the undenominated stamps because regulatory authority for an anticipated rate increase had been delayed. I have not been able to find a CPC news release explaining the omission of the denominations. Since I was not particularly active in my collecting pursuits in 1995, I may have missed the CPC announcement. If you know the story please email me at philcovex@gmail.com

Usages 

a) To July 31, 1995

Unlike today's undenominated "P" stamp which is always accepted at the current domestic postage price regardless of rate increases,the non-denominated 43 cent 1995 stamps have retained their 43 cent value.

 Toronto LPP to Stephenville Crossing, July 6, 1995

43 cents domestic letter rate

Stoney Creek LPP to Toronto, June 19, 1995

b) From August 1, 1995

On August 1, 1995, the domestic letter rate increased from 43 cents to 45 cents. The cover shown below was franked with a Louisbourg non-denominated (43c) stamp,in April 1996, nine months after the rate had increased to 45 cents. The cover was not taxed.

 Stoney Creek LPP to Niagara Falls, April 4, 1996

45 cents domestic letter rate

Shortpaid 2 cents but not taxe

My guess is that CPC did not wish to engage in  disputes regarding the non-denominated stamps and ignored post-July 31, 1995 franking shortfalls.

Diamond Jubilee Keepsake Folders
Volume 5 (1993-2002)

Among the many souvenirs Canada Post released during the Jubilee Year was a set of six "Keepsake Folders" which depicted stamps issued during the six decades of the Queen's reign. This post deals with Volume 5, issued on May 7, 2012, covering the 1993 to 2002 period.

The folder includes:

• One mini-pane of four stamps
• Diamond Jubilee $2.00 Souvenir Sheet
• A postage-paid postcard depicting Queen Elizabeth II stamps issued from 1993 to2002
• A booklet that recounts significant events and Royal Visits

Keepsake cover

Booklet cover

Mini-pane

Canada Post reproduced the 48 cent Golden Jubilee stamp (2002)  on the mini-pane.

Diamond Jubilee Souvenir Sheet

Royal Visits

The Queen paid three visits to Canada during the 1993 - 2002 period. Photographs from the visits are reproduced in the mini-pane margin.

1994

Queen Elizabeth opened the 15th Commonwealth Games in Victoria on August 18, 1994. In addition to British Columbia, the 1994 Royal Tour took Queen Elizabeth to Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories from August 13 to 22.

1997

 The 500th anniversary of the discovery of Newfoundland brought the Queen to Canada in 1997 from June 23 to July 2. The Queen also visited Ontario.

2002

The 2002 Royal Visit to Canada from October 4 to 15, was in celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited Iqaluit, Nunavut; Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Toronto, Oakville, Hamilton and Ottawa, Ontario; Fredericton, Sussex and Moncton, New Brunswick.

Postage-Paid Post Card

Stamps Depicted


 a) The Karsh Photograph Definitives

45 cents : June 31, 1995

Toronto to Don Mills, May 9, 1996

45 cents domestic letter rate

46 cents : December 28, 1998

47 cents : December 28, 2000

b) Golden Jubilee Commemorative: January 2, 2002

The Toronto Sun and Lubor J. Zink

The Toronto Sun is a conservative tabloid newspaper which was founded in 1971 shortly after The Toronto Telegram ceased publication. Sun Publishing Ltd purchased syndication operations and newspaper vending boxes from the Telegram, and with the aid of staff recruited from the Telegram,  published its first edition of The Toronto Sun  on November 1, 1971.

 "The Toronto Sun" first edition, November 1, 1971

 The sender of this letter to the "Sun" did not know the address but provided a detailed description of its location enabling Canada Post to deliver the cover.

The Sun's journalistic philosophy was outlined in its first editorial :

We define ourselves as a politically non-partisan voice of moderation. That may sound wishy-washy, but we won't be. It's high time the voice of moderation in Canada made itself heard loudly and clearly, in firm answer to the shrill nonsense and ideology that is espoused these days in the name of democracy and humanity. 

We are neither right nor left; we dislike fanatics of any hue, and are prepared to tackle the arrogant left and the misguided right when occasion demands. 

Many would suggest that the Sun has never been a  "non-partisan voice of moderation". Among the Sun's favourite targets in the 1970s was then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Leading the Trudeau attack was Czechoslovakian-born Lubor J. Zink whose columns relentlessly painted Trudeau as a crypto-communist.

 Lubor Zink

The Toronto Sun Family : 1971 - 2013 blog provides this synopsis of Zink's life which helps us understand why Zink was fiercely opposed to communism.

For just over two decades, the Toronto Sun’s impassioned anti-communist writing team consisted of Peter Worthington, Bob MacDonald and Lubor J. Zink. The columnists looked for communists under every rock, as Paul Rimstead was fond of saying. Lubor, born in Klapy, Czechoslovakia in 1920 had first hand experience with dictators and communists. He fled to England in 1939 after the Nazis invaded his homeland, became a member of the Czech underground and was a World War 2 hero. After the war, he returned home and was a Radio Prague broadcaster until the Communist Party took control in a 1948 coup. Lubor, jobless, fled to England with his wife and young son and a decade later, moved to Canada. The Brandon Sun in Manitoba was his first Canadian newspaper stop. As editor, his editorials won him a National Newspaper Award in 1961. The NNA caught the Telegram’s eye and he was hired as a columnist, based in Ottawa. When the Tely folded in 1971, he continued as a Toronto Sun columnist, often writing columns with an anti-communist or anti-Pierre Trudeau slant. Like Peter, Lubor twice ran as a federal Conservative candidate (Parkdale in 1972 and 1974) without success. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Lubor, in failing health, signed off at the Sun in 1993, leaving Peter and Bob to reflect on the diminished communist community. Lubor’s legacy included three volumes of published columns: Trudeaucracy in 1972; Viva Chairman Pierre in 1977 and What Price Freedom in 1981. Lubor died in 2004. He was 84.

Zink lived and worked in Ottawa as a member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. 

The correspondence from Mr. Zink is dated September 10, 1978.

 Ottawa, September 11, 1978

 Zink's postscript was a plug for his latest book VIVA CHAIRMAN PIERRE.

 André Nicholl wrote this scathing review of Viva Chairman Pierre  ( Ottawa Citizen, January 21, 1978)

This book is pathetic both awful and sad.

Everything that Pierre Trudeau has ever said or done, from adolescent days in Montreal to the recent trip to Cuba, is conceived of as a plot to turn Canada into a communistic state.

The evidence consists of old quotes (all out of context) from Cité Libre, snippets from speeches and interviews, and such deep analyses of Trudeau's personality as his once having lied about his age-the latter somehow marking the man as devious and amoral

Nowhere does Zink acknowledge there might be anything good about Trudeau, such as his dignity and his uncanny ability to adapt to change. No, Trudeau embodies communist evil. Pals in Moscow, Peking and Havana understand all his moves and silently abet his leading the nation to a collectivist dictatorship.

The book could have been saved . Zink could proposed [sic] some alternative to Trudeaucracy. But not a sentence from all those Toronto Sun columns hints at what our prime minister is taking from us.
Obviously, Zink cares about the country. But he is obsessed, and his caring is a lost in a paranoid diatribe. That's why Viva Chairman Pierre is pathetic.

Discovery Train

 

From 1978 to 1980, the mobile museum "Discovery Train" toured Canada bringing Canadian history to the people. Operated by the National Museum of Canada, the train with over 10 exhibit cars  contained a moving walkway to shuttle visitors through the train in  20 minutes. The cars contained displays on prehistoric man, First Nations and Inuit, New France, British North America, immigrants, pioneering, boom and bust, WWII, present day Canada, and a big musical finale. 

 

The train's first stop was on July 22, 1978 at Kingston, Ontario, home of Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir. John A. Macdonald.
 


Locomotives

Canadian Pacific Steam Locomotive #1201 appeared with the Discovery Train on opening day in Kingston, but never pulled the train.

Canadian National and Canadian Pacific diesel locomotives actually pulled the train across the country.

Philatelic Souvenirs

Sherbrooke, Octpber 24, 1979

 

June 13, 1980

 

U.S. Bicentennial "American Freedom Train"

The U.S. Bicentennial American Freedom Train

The Discovery Train cars were originally built for use on the "American Freedom Train" (AFT) which toured the U.S. from April 1, 1975 to December 31, 1976. AFT was a 26-car traveling exhibition of artifacts from the 200 year history of the United States.The National Museum of Canada purchased fifteen AFT cars at a fraction of their original cost after the U.S. bicentennial, making the Discovery Train project an affordable endeavor.

Reference

The Story of the 1978 - 1980  Discovery Train