| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Date of Issue | September 28, 2023 |
| Year | 2023 |
| Quantity | 400,000 |
| Denomination |
 PERMANENT™ (P).Current monetary value: $0.92. |
| Series | Truth and Reconciliation |
| Series Time Span | 2022 - 2023 |
| Postal Administration | Canada |
Opened: 1890
Closed: 1978
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Originally established as the Kamloops Industrial Residential School, the institution became the largest school in the residential school system. First Nations students suffered from food shortages and a lack of clothing while disease, unsanitary living conditions and abuse were rife.
The federal government did not fully respond to appeals for more funding and support before taking over administration of all residential schools in 1969. By that point, Kamloops Residential School did not offer any classes and operated as a residence for students attending local day schools until it was closed.
In 2021, the remains of 200 children were believed to have been found on the grounds of the Kamloops Residential School using ground-penetrating radar. The discovery sparked a shift in Canadians’ understanding of the history of the residential school system and changed the national conversation about its impact on generations of Indigenous Peoples.
First release in 2022:
Released on the day prior to September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, this stamp issue is the first in a series showcasing the visions of Inuit, Métis and First Nations artists for the future of truth and reconciliation, with the hope of encouraging awareness of and reflection on the effects of colonization on Indigenous Peoples and the work of the truth and reconciliation process.
First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were forced to attend federally created Indian residential schools, which operated for nearly a century and a half. More than 150,000 children were taken from their families and communities, many never to return home.
The illustration by First Nations artist Jackie Traverse, centred on the bunchberry, a flowering plant found across Canada, represents seeds of change, reminding us that for bountiful future harvests, we must share the sun, water and land.
Inuit artist Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona features a woman lighting a qulliq, the traditional Inuit stone lamp, to signify care and healing for all Indigenous communities.
Métis artist Kim Gullion Stewart places beaded flowers over the contour lines of a map as a reminder of the need to live symbiotically with the land, nature and each other.
Canadian designer Blair Thomson offers two perspectives – the trauma and pain endured by Indigenous Peoples and the settlers’ shame and acknowledgement of this truth. An Indigenous child looks out from behind the hands to reinforce the message that we must never look away again.
The stamps also include the words “Truth and Reconciliation” in the traditional languages and regional dialects of the three artists, respectively Anishinaabemowin, Saulteaux dialect; Inuktitut, Kivalliq dialect and Heritage Michif.
Second release in 2023:
Featuring stark archival images of residential schools in different parts of Canada, the stamps serve as a reminder of the fear, loneliness, pain and shame experienced by generations of Indigenous children in these federally and church-created institutions. The stamp issue serves as a vehicle for truth about Canada’s residential school system to help support the process of reconciliation and, ultimately, healing.