Every year, millions of tourists from home and abroad visit areas across Canada to see our nation's natural wonders and man-made attractions. Canada Post is proud to showcase 10 such attractions in a set of 10 self-adhesive stamps available in two booklets of five. The five U.S. rate ($0.65) stamps feature Wilberforce Falls, Inside Passage, RCMP Depot Division, Casa Loma, and Gatineau Park, while the five international rate ($1.25) stamps feature Dragon Boat Racing, Polar Bear Watching, Niagara Falls, Magdalen Islands, and Province House in Charlottetown. Issued on June 12, 2003, this stamp set invites the curious to learn a little more about Canada's history, heritage, geology and culture.

Wilberforce Falls ($0.65)
Wilberforce Falls are on Nunavut's Hood River, which flows west to east and then north through tundra and deep gorges. This area of breathtaking beauty is home to roaming musk oxen, caribou and grizzlies, and the Hood abounds with lake trout and Arctic grayling. Whitewater enthusiasts can challenge the Hood's Class I, II, and III rapids. Plunging some 50 metres (164 feet) in two sections, Wilberforce Falls are the highest waterfalls north of the Arctic Circle.

Inside Passage ($0.65)
Stretching a distance of 507 kilometres (315 miles), the Inside Passage is a spectacular stretch of protected waters on the east side of Vancouver Island from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert. Tourists can board one of dozens of cruise ships or take a scenic ferry ride through the Passage. Visitors can see old Aboriginal villages and sites, tour museums and galleries, hike, walk, watch whales or go island hopping.

RCMP Depot Division ($0.65)
Regina's Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Depot Division is one of Saskatchewan's prime tourist attractions. On weekday afternoons, trainees drill in the Sergeant Major's Parade, and on Tuesday evenings in July and August, troop members in bright red tunics, accompanied by music of the cadet choir, march in the 45-minute-long Sunset Retreat Ceremony. Tourists can also enjoy the Centennial Museum and the Chapel.

Casa Loma ($0.65)
Perched atop a hill in Toronto, the colossal Casa Loma was built by Canadian financier Sir Henry Pellatt between 1911 and 1914. It boasts a great hall with a 20 metre (70-foot) oak-beamed ceiling and 10 metre (40-foot) window case; a conservatory; grandiose bedroom suites panelled in mahogany and walnut; horse stables with Spanish floor tiles; and beautiful gardens during the months of May to October. Self-guided tours in a number of languages are available year-round.

Gatineau Park ($0.65)
This superb nature reserve spans 363 square kilometres (140 square miles) just northwest of Ottawa. Boasting hundreds of kilometres of trails, hundreds of species of birds and mammals, 32.5 kilometres (20 miles) of scenic parkways and lookouts with fantastic views, Gatineau Park is also the location of the estate of William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada's 10th prime minister.

Dragon Boat Racing ($1.25)
Held in cities across Canada, dragon boat racing festivals are becoming very popular. Each dragon boat has 20 paddlers, with a drummer at the head of the boat keeping beat and a 'steersperson' (coxswain) at the back. Several teams race at once on a 640 metre (2,100-foot) course. Pictured on this stamp is the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival in Vancouver, the oldest and largest dragon boat event in Canada.

Polar Bear Watching ($1.25)
Churchill, a town on the southwest shore of Hudson Bay, is known as the 'Polar Bear Capital of the World.' Although these majestic white animals can be seen year-round in Churchill, fall is the best time for polar bear watching as they gather along the shores of Hudson Bay to begin their winter seal hunt. Tourists can stay in comfortable lodges and view the roaming polar bears from non-invasive tundra buggies.

Niagara Falls ($1.25)
Due to their huge volume of water flow, Ontario's Horshoe Falls are considered one of the world's greatest natural wonders. The Fall are 57 metres (187 feet) high and 675 metres (2214 feet) wide, with a flow of 155 million litres of water per minute. Tourists can view the falls from towers, boats or from behind the falls themselves. Colourful lights illuminate the falls at night. The nearby casino, Botanical Gardens, Marineland and scenic Niagara Parks are other popular attractions.

Magdalen Islands ($1.25)
Quebec's Magdalen Islands are located in the Gulf of St.Lawrence. This 96 kilometre (60-mile) archipelago is made up of about a dozen islands, of which six are connected to one another by long, thin sand dunes. Wind-swept marshes and sea-sculpted cliffs are home to many bird colonies. Visitors to this remote, unspoiled area can windsurf, scuba dive, birdwatch, horseback ride, or golf. They can also visit artists and artisans' studios, dance clubs, bistros, bars or cafés.

Charlottetown ($1.25)
Charlottetown's Province House, a National Historic Site, was completed in 1847 and is regarded as the 'birthplace of Canada' because the first conference to discuss federal union was held there in 1864. This three-storey neo-classical building now houses the PEI Provincial Legislature and is close to this city's Confederation Centre as well as the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, which celebrates the origins and evolution of Canada as a nation.

About the Stamps' Design
This stamp set was designed by Catharine Bradbury (design principal) and Karin Uusikorpi (associate designer) of Bradbury Branding and Design Inc. in Regina. The idea behind the design, says Catharine, "was to emphasize the incredible beauty and diversity of Canadian tourist attractions to the American and international audiences." Catharine and Karin found that "because of the huge scope of these audiences, the challenge was to ensure the stamps had a specific Canadian sensibility while maintaining a universal appeal." Both designers are pleased with the result and feel that the stamps "capture all that is unique about Canada and effectively promote the wonder of our country to the world."