The Canadian War Museum, affiliated with the Canadian Museum of Civilization, serves as a living memorial for those who served Canada's armed forces, ensuring that new generations of Canadians remember the sacrifices of those who served.
Canada Post's new stamp aims to educate, preserve and remember. Veteran stamp designer Tiit Telmet notes that "the human aspect was key. We felt it was important to find symbols that would let viewers put themselves in the image, because viewers to the museum respond to its call for remembrance in very personal ways."
The central image to the stamp is the Memorial Cross GRV (Silver Cross), awarded to wives and mothers of fallen servicemen. The handwritten letter in the background represents the private experience of war, while the candle signifies remembrance. A silhouette of a man and child represent how individuals must keep memories alive by educating children about our history. Other elements portrayed on the stamp were carefully chosen to represent a range of history. The lines of Morse code, which run along the top and bottom edges of the stamp, repeat a significant architectural feature of the new building where some windows are shaped and positioned to display in Morse code the phrase "Lest we forget/ N'oublions jamais."
The stamp serves to remind us all of the sacrifices made on the battlefield, not only by Canadians but by all those the world over who were involved with war and peace support operations in the development of our democratic society. The role of a prominent Estonian-Canadian designer in commemorating Canada's newest museum at a time when the world is reevaluating the legacy of World War II is a source of considerable pride for many, not only in the philatelic community.
This stamp will help spread that important message across this vast multicultural country. Among Canadian citizens very few lack some personal connection with the sacrifices demanded by WW II, an event set off by an evil compact of two totalitarian regimes for whom freedom, self-determination and democracy were alien words.