The first-day cover of the new postage stamp recognizing Canada's internment of civilians during the First and Second World Wars.
Dr. Rhonda Hinther has shared Canada’s history through books, scholarly articles and her teaching at Brandon University (BU).
Her contributions have now reached another medium: a postage stamp.
Dr. Hinther, a Professor and Chair of BU’s Department of History, and Dr. Jim Mochoruk, of the University of North Dakota, were asked by Canada Post to consult on a stamp reflecting the history of civilian internment in Canada. The stamp was issued this month and is available at canadapost.ca as well as select postal outlets across the country.
“This is an exciting way to make a contribution to the important work Canada Post does in highlighting history through the stamps program,” Dr. Hinther said. “It was an honour to be a part of it and to see how scholarly research can have a wider impact in Canadians’ understanding of the past.”
Drs. Hinther and Mochoruk co-edited a book titled Civilian Internment in Canada, released in 2020 through the University of Manitoba Press. Canada Post has been presented both with stamp booklets and official first-day covers in thanks for their contributions.
From Canada Post’s news release:
During both the First and Second World Wars, the Canadian government organized large-scale civilian internment operations, during which thousands of people were unjustly interned in camps across the country. Tens of thousands more had their freedoms restricted in the name of national security. Some of these measures continued into peacetime. Canada Post hopes today’s stamp issue will raise awareness about this history and the resilience of the people and communities whose lives were profoundly affected by this forced displacement, confinement and hardship. It also reminds us of our responsibility to learn from the past.
The stamp features bilingual text in red, over a grey background, with barbed wire covering the image. It comes with a booklet containing historical information and a brief passage from Civilian Internment in Canada.
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