Western Columbine, Aquilegia formosa

Definitive stamps must portray an image of Canada for a wide variety of people inside and outside the nation. Canadian wildflowers are just the subjects to do this. The flowers reflect the magnificent beauty of our country. The western columbine, sometimes known as the red or Sitka columbine, graces the 2¢ stamp. This perennial herb is found from May to August in the moist meadows and woodland clearings of British Columbia and western Alberta. The plant attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Heather Cooper, Toronto artist and designer, is a partner in the firm of Burns, Cooper, Donoahue, Fleming & Company Limited, internationally known for their fine work in the graphic arts. Her design for this definitive and her accurate rendering of that flower convey the grace and beauty of the subject within the confines of a small stamp size. The Latin designation for the flower appears in the plate-block inscriptions. This issue of definitive stamp use Cartier typeface, first cut by the Canadian typographer, the late Carl Dair. This modified version was specially prepared for the Canada Post Office for use on postage stamps.