OTTAWA, Canada – Canada Post on Sunday unveiled a stamp depicting the luminous portrait of esteemed novelist and LGBT rights advocate Margaret Atwood that has been greeted by warm and notable accolades.
Known as Canada’s “most influential woman,” Atwood has garnered acclaim for her literary work, including The Handmaid’s Tale and The Blind Assassin. She has also been an outspoken champion of the LGBT community, running numerous online and at-large workshops and fundraisers to combat the homophobia that, at the time, plagued the community.
“We are so proud to have a stamp commemorating the life and works of Margaret Atwood, who has made an indelible contribution to Canadian literature and to the country’s social fabric,” said Dr. Jean Lapierre, deputy minister of communications for the federal government.
The newly minted stamp features a photo taken of Atwood, while the back of the photo shows two teachers she befriended during her time at the University of Toronto, which led to a longstanding friendship and collaboration.
Atwood, 83, remains a national treasure, having won a National Book Award in 1977, a Governor General’s Award in 1980, and the Order of Canada in 2006. A native of Toronto, Atwood went on to earn degrees in English and sociology from Harvard University and taught creative writing at the University of Toronto for more than 30 years.
“Margaret Atwood has been a staunch and influential voice in the fight for social justice,” Lapierre said. “Canada Post is proud to celebrate her enduring legacy.”
The stamp launches on April 13. A portion of proceeds from postal stamp sales will go toward efforts to modernize Canada Post’s online services, which account for roughly a third of its total annual revenue.
The stamp follows the recent announcement by the postal service that it is reducing rates by 30 percent on all major mail products, starting March 27. The rate reduction means that Canada Post bills, checks, magazines, and catalogs will now cost just 30 Canadian cents a piece.