In 2006, Canada Post launched a stamp commemorating not only the 50th anniversary of the founding of the GDC, but also the contributions of Canadian graphic designers to our country's economy, culture and national identity—50 years of designing Canada.

The challenge of creating a design that would communicate the intrinsic nature of graphic design to the general public, as well as meet the demanding eye of the thousands of designers across the country (and around the world) fell to Vancouver-based Ion Branding + Design. Their design proposal was chosen from the various concepts presented to the Stamp Advisory Committee by 3 design firms who employ certified graphic designers (professional members of GDC, SDGQ or RGDON). Both Ion partners David Coates, FGDC and Rod Roodenburg, CGD have been involved with the GDC at the local and national executive level and having their proposal chosen was a challenge they rose to admirably.

The stamp features a beaver made out of type forms, the typeface Cartier which was originally designed by GDC Fellow Carl Dair, and the GDC logo designed in 1967 by Jacques Émile Charette.

"Our intent was to create an icon that represents the Canadian graphic design community using type and image. The beaver seemed a natural," says Ion partner David Coates, FGDC. "Sir Sanford Fleming recognized that when he designed Canada's first stamp. And we drew upon his original design for this stamp."

GDC@50 Chair Matt Warburton, FGDC stated, "We were extremely honoured that Canada Post chose to use our anniversary to acknowledge the value of the graphic design profession, especially since many designers' design sensibilities are influenced by the design of Canadian stamps."

The stamps and First Day Covers went on sale August 16, 2006 at postal outlets across Canada.