February 2005
CANADIAN PHILATELIC LITERATURE EXHIBITION SET FOR OCTOBER 2005

Charles J.G. Verge, President of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada has announced Canada’s Seventh National Philatelic Literature Exhibition (C7NPLE) will be held in Toronto October 14-16, 2005. The last specialized exhibition for stamp literature in Canada was in May 2002.

The exhibition will be held in conjunction with the Canadian Stamp Dealers Association/Greater Toronto Area Philatelic Association annual show at The Queen Elizabeth Building on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds.

Coordination and administration of all entries will be done by co-chairs Charles Verge and Cimon Morin, Head, Canadian Postal Archives, National Library and Archives of Canada.

It is the first time a CNPLE has been held outside Ottawa, and Cimon Morin says “it is quite appropriate that it be held in Toronto, Canada’s largest city, especially since it is Canada’s only national philatelic literature competition.”

Canada’s philatelic literature exhibitions are the largest such exhibition and competition in the Americas. C6NPLE in 2002, for instance, had 118 entries in five categories while C5NPLE in 1999 saw the jury assess and award medals to153 entries. In 1993, C2NPLE had 236 entries.

Morin, who has tracked the statistics for Canada’s philatelic literature exhibitions, says “the organizing committee has received more than 825 entries since the first show in 1991, so we could well have the 1,000th entry at C7NPLE.”

Charles Verge is “happy” that Canada will have an exhibition this year, because “it is a great opportunity to get a first hand look at new titles that are important to the hobby.” In the past, he said, “we have managed to have great exhibitions, so we are looking for 150 entries in October.”

Participation at C7NPLE will feature five classes: 1) Handbooks, Monographs, Pamphlets, and Studies published after January 1, 2000; 2) Catalogues: General, Specialized, Auction published after January 1, 2003; 3) Periodicals and Newsletters of National or International Societies or Study Groups, Club Newsletters, substantive articles, and columns - 10 consecutive, a full volume or year published after January 2003; 4) Commercial Philatelic Newspapers or Periodicals - 10 consecutive or a full year published after January 1, 2003; 5) Electronic Publications, such as philatelic software, inventory programs, data bases - on diskettes or CD-ROM.

Websites will not be accepted for this competition.

Entry forms and prospectus are available from C7NPLE, P.O. Box 2788, Station ‘D’, Ottawa, ON K1P 5W8 or from < philatelia@lac-bac.gc.ca >.

Michael Nowlan of Oromocto, New Brunswick has agreed to chair the jury. He will be joined by Charlie Peterson, an FIP judge and one of the foremost stamp literature judges in the world. Peterson, a director of FIP, served as President of the FIP Literature Commission from 1975 to 2000.

Other members of the jury include Kenneth Trettin, Iowa; Kevin Doyle, Illinois; and Charles J.G. Verge, Ontario.

Information on The RPSC can be had by e-mail at info@rpsc.org or by visiting the Society's website at www.rpsc.org, or by calling 416-979-8874, toll free 1-888-285-4143.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Michael O. Nowlan 506-357-2698
Daryl Oliver 416-979-8874