April 4, 2001
HARRY SUTHERLAND, QC, RDP: A LIFELONG BUILDER FOR STAMP COLLECTING

After 44 years, Harry Sutherland is about to retire as a Director of The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC). He joined The Royal in 1950 and was elected a member of the Board of Directors in 1957.

A career corporate lawyer, Harry Sutherland relates the story that he started collecting when someone gave him a Christmas present of stamps when he was five years old. To enumerate Harry Sutherland's contribution to philately from that memorable present is to create a chronology of a first star in a game. For Harry, the game has been stamps. He learned the rules and he excelled at every facet of the hobby.

By 1958, Harry was a Fellow of The Royal Philatelic Society (London). He was the longest serving President of The RPSC. Having been elected in 1967, he served as the Society's head until 1978. The RPSC elected him a Fellow in 1978, and he was asked to sign The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1991.

These distinctions did not come without a great deal of hard work and dedication to the hobby. As a leader of the largest organization for philately in Canada, Harry Sutherland helped build a viable organization. After his term as President, he continued to serve on the Board in various capacities. Although he retires at ROYALE *2001* ROYAL in Montreal in early April, he will continue to serve the Society as its legal advisor.

Internationally, Sutherland has also been a major influence. He served one term on the Board of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP) and represented Canada at numerous FIP Congresses and exhibitions throughout the world. He has been frequently called upon by the FIP and its leaders to give legal advice on complex international philatelic issues. He is a qualified international judge in traditional and postal history as well as literature, and, as such, he has judged both in Canada and around the world at local, regional, national, continental and world exhibitions. For many years he has been a stalwart of the Inter-American Philatelic Federation (FIAF) having held the presidency of the organisation and been its long standing Treasurer.

Sutherland's collecting interests include the stamps and postmarks of Montenegro, which started as a sideline collection. That interest grew to where it earned him Gold medals at the international level. Like all collectors, his interests have changed with the years, but he has always maintained a strong support for Canadian stamps and Postal History. For a man who has difficulty with the concept of collecting thematics, he is believed to be a closet collector of trains on stamps.

Harry Sutherland may be leaving The RPSC Board of Directors, but his influence will continue to be felt throughout Canadian philately. As a lifelong builder of the hobby, his work has been singular and monumental.

Information on membership in RPSC may be obtained from Andrew Parr, Executive Director, P.O. Box 929, Station Q, Toronto ON CANADA M4T 2P1.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Michael O. Nowlan 506-357-2698
Carol S. Law 416-979-8874