Date of issue: November 8, 1955
Printer: Canadian Bank Note Company
Series: Prime Ministers
Design: Herman Herbert Schwartz
Sir Charles Tupper
Charles Tupper was born in 1821 in Amherst, Nova Scotia. After graduating in medicine from the University of Edinburgh (1843), he returned to Amherst to take up general practice. Although he excelled in this work, his main professional interest soon became politics. He was elected to the Nova Scotia legislature in 1855 and became Premier two years later. He was a strong proponent of union with other provinces and was one of the Fathers of Confederation. He was Prime Minster of Canada briefly in 1896.
Tupper also had several medical “political” associations. He was involved in the first efforts to establish a medical school in Dalhousie, was elected President of the Medical Society of Nova Scotia (1863) and became the first President of the Canadian Medical Association (1867). He is commemorated by the last organization by the Sir Charles Tupper Award for Political Action, which is awarded to a doctor who shows leadership and dedication to advancing the goals and policies of the CMA through advocacy. Tupper died in London, England, in 1915.
The Stamp
The image of Tupper is based on photographs in Canada’s Public Archives.