Great Canadian Arctic Explorer "Captain Bartlett" Honoured With Stamp

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Jul 10 (MARKET WIRE) --
Captain Robert "Bob" Bartlett gained fame by accompanying fellow explorer
Robert Peary on his 1909 expedition to the North Pole during which he
reached farhter north than anyone had gone before. Canada Post issued a
stamp today to mark the centennial of this historic trip and to pay
tribute to Bartlett, a great Canadian hero.

"Bartlett traveled farther north than any explorer before him," says
Robert Waite, Chairman of the Stamp Advisory Committee and senior
vice-president, Corporate Social Responsibility at Canada Post. "His
brave expeditions and in later years his public lectures helped change
people's perception of the Arctic from a frozen mystery to an essential
and beautiful region of the planet."

"We're very excited and honoured to have Captain Bob Bartlett
commemorated in this way," adds the Honourable Edward Roberts, chair of
the Celebrating Bartlett 2009 steering committee on behalf of the
Historic Sites Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. "We thank Canada
Post for partnering with us in celebrating the life and legacy of this
extraordinary Newfoundlander."

"The truth was I could not stop myself in pursuit of adventure," Bartlett
wrote in his journals. Born in Brigus, Newfoundland on August 15, 1875
into a family of renowned sailing masters, Bartlett captained the
Roosevelt for Peary on the historic journey to the North Pole. On another
occasion, Bartlett made a 1,100-kilometres Siberian journey to save his
ship's crew, held captive by an Arctic pack ice. He also saved Crocker
Land Expedition members who had been stuck on the edge of the Arctic
Ocean for four years.

The stamp shows Bartlett holding a sextant against a vivid blue and white
photo that captures the cool, harsh conditions of the Canadian Arctic,
with the Roosevelt in the distance. The stamp's top-left corner features
an outline of the globe from the North Pole downward bleeding into the
stamp's frame.

The 54-cent stamp measures 40 mm x 31 mm horizontal and will be available
in a 16-stamp pane with 13+ perforations on PVA gum type. Lowe-Martin has
printed 1.75 million stamps using lithography in seven colours plus
varnish on Tullis Russell paper. The stamps are general tagged on four
sides. The Official First Day Cover will bear the cancel "BRIGUS
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR".

Additional information about Canadian stamps can be found in the News
section of Canada Post's website, and photos of this new stamp is also
available. Stamps and other products will be available at participating
post offices, or can be ordered online by following the links at Canada
Post's website www.canadapost.ca/collection, or by mail order from the
National Philatelic Centre. From Canada and the USA, call toll-free: 1
800 565-4362, and from other countries, call: 902 863-6550.

Contacts:
Canada Post
Nicole Lemire
613-734-8888
nicole.lemire@canadapost.ca

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