The Official First Day Cover features a stamp honouring Métis visual artist and environmentalist Christi Belcourt.

The stamp is one of three in the 2024 Indigenous Leaders issue, the third set of stamps in the Indigenous Leaders series. It is cancelled in Ottawa, Ontario, where Belcourt was raised.

Good to know

The Indigenous Leaders series recognizes the outstanding achievements and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders. The 2024 issue pays tribute to three remarkable women:

• Christ Belcourt, Métis visual artist and environmentalist

• Elisapie, award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, director, producer and activist

• Josephine Mandamin, Anishinaabe Elder and world-renowned water-rights activist

About the Indigenous Leaders series

The Indigenous Leaders series, launched in 2022, highlights the contributions of modern-day First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders who dedicated their lives to preserving their culture and improving the quality of life of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

About Christi Belcourt

Christi Belcourt (b. 1966) is a Métis visual artist and environmentalist who uses her talent to celebrate nature, honour her ancestors, advocate for the protection of land and water, and support Indigenous knowledge, culture and language.

A descendant of the Métis community of Manitow Sâkahikan (Lac Ste. Anne) in Alberta, she is well known for her intricate paintings that emulate Métis floral beadwork. Her work can be found in many private and public collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Gabriel Dumont Institute.

The power of Belcourt’s art lies in both its beauty and its message. One of her most poignant works is Walking With Our Sisters, a multi-artist installation of more than 2,000 pairs of beaded moccasin tops honouring the lives of missing or murdered Indigenous women, Two-Spirit people and children.

As co-founders of the community-based Onaman Collective, she and Isaac Murdoch volunteer their time to create resources and space for land-based Indigenous practices, including language revitalization.

Belcourt’s many honours include a Governor General’s Innovation Award, for advocating for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and recognition of their lands.

About the design

The front of the Official First Cay Cover features detail from Belcourt’s painting Reverence for Life.

The front also includes the text “Christi Belcourt” and the Christi Belcourt stamp, cancelled in Ottawa, Ontario – where Belcourt was raised.

The back of the OFDC is a continuation of the design detail from the front of the envelope, shown in light, monotone blue.

The stamp was cancelled on June 21, which is National Indigenous Peoples Day. The cancel mark is a line drawing of a butterfly, inspired by Belcourt’s style of painting.

Product # 414260131

Indigenous Leaders – Christi Belcourt: Official First Day Cover