Canada Post anounced on Dec. 28 the new definitives fit for the new postage rate system effective from Jan. 1, 2001, in which the new domestic rate will rise to 47 cents, the US rate will be 60 cents, and the international rate will be 1.05 Canada Dollar. The new definitives include three domestic rate stamp, one US rate, one international rate and one second step domestic rate of 75 cents.

Three domestic rate stamps feature the redesigned versions of the old Flag, Queen and Maple Leaf definitives. The new flag stamp, issued only in self-adhesive booklet of 10 and 30,  features an inukshuk to balance out the stamp's visual elements. An inukshuk is a figure of a human made of stones, originally used to scare caribou into an ambush and today mostly used as a marker to guide travellers.

The familiar Queen definitive has undergone two modifications. In addition to a change in denomination, this newly-designed stamp features a blue background to replace the red. The definitive continues to use Yousuf Karsh's portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, first seen on a definitive issue in 1987.

The newly-designed, domestic-rate maple leaf definitive, available in a self adhesive coil of 100. The stamp's design consists of a green leaf, visible in its entirety, overlapping a yellow leaf, which in turn overlaps a red leaf.

Three new medium-value definitives ($0.60, $0.75, and $1.05), featuring three mammals common to many regions of Canada, seems to be the beginning of a new definitive series. The self-adhesive format the three stamps used is the first time to be seen in medium-value definitive series.

The Red Fox

Highly adaptable and opportunistic, the red fox is a carnivorous member of the dog family found in all areas of Canada except for some coastal areas of western BC. This cunning creature hunts mainly by sight, capturing its prey during or following a fast chase. Its diet is varied, consisting of small mammals - mice, squirrels, rabbits and woodchucks - and at times, bird's eggs, insects, fruit and grains.

The Grey Wolf

Living in family groups and hunting over vast territories of wilderness, the grey wolf is a carnivore renowned for its loud and eerie howl. Howling serves many purposes - to assemble the pack, denote the extent of their territory and to express distress or contentment. The grey wolf preys on large mammals - deer, elk, moose and caribou - with Arctic wolves feeding on seals, Arctic hare and lemmings.

The White-tailed Deer

The most plentiful and widespread of North America's large mammals is the graceful yet shy white-tailed deer, with approximately 2.5 million living in Canada. Three subspecies make up the Canadian population - the northern white-tailed deer is found from Cape Breton to the region of the Manitoba/Ontario border, the Dakota white-tailed deer is common to the prairies, and the northwestern white-tailed deer occurs in southeastern BC.