Canadian singer-songwriter and philanthropist Sarah McLachlan was honoured Tuesday (Sept. 17) as the Canada Post stamp bearing her portrait was officially unveiled.
The event, which included remarks from Vancouver mayor Ken Sim and Canada Post president and CEO Doug Ettinger, was held at the Sarah McLachlan School of Music in Mount Pleasant.
"Music has saved me for all of my life," said McLachlan, 56, who founded the school - called SOM for short - 22 years ago. The school, which also has campuses in Surrey, B.C., and Edmonton, provides music lessons to about 1,000 youth each year free of charge, giving kids and teens with barriers to learning access to the transformative power of music.
"She is the heart and soul of SOM," praised Emily Oswald, SOM's director of development. Oswald, who emceed the presentation, also described the vast reach and impact of the school on its students, which not only provides musical instruction, but nutritious snacks donated from local farms and transportation to those who need it.
'Sarah McLachlan Day' proclaimed in Vancouver
Before McLachlan's postage stamp was revealed, Sim and Coun. Christine Boyle took a moment to officially proclaim September 17, 2024, as "Sarah McLachlan Day" in Vancouver.
Sim, who admitted he and the other elected civic leaders were "super giddy" to be part of the ceremony, initiated a tug-of-war of sorts to claim McLachlan for Vancouver, rivalling Ettinger, who later spoke up on behalf of the singer's hometown, Halifax.
"Parent, icon, philanthropist, leader...super amazing person," lauded Sim, who also revealed he regrets not getting a ticket to Lilith Fair, the ground-breaking late-90s all-female touring festival McLachlan organized and headlined for three years.
The mayor also pledged on the spot to personally donate funds equivalent to tuition for one student for a year of lessons at SOM.
Postage stamps 'unite us and reflect Canada's shared values'
The choice to put McLachlan, the Grammy- and Juno award-winning artist who has sold over 40 million albums worldwide in her career, was more than evident, attested Ettinger.
"Canada Post takes great pride in sharing and amplifying our country's stories thru national stamp program," Ettinger explained.
"Stamps actually tell important stories. They unite us and reflect Canada's shared values."
McLachlan's music has "comforted us, healed us, and inspired us," Ettinger added, calling the singer "a true Canadian icon," whose "timeless music is the soundtrack of many of our households."
Ettinger also pointed out that when McLachlan was approached by Canada Post about being on a stamp, she "immediately wanted to focus on how it could lift the school up with her."
"This stamp will find its way into millions of homes and across provinces and international borders," remarked Lisa Wolverton, whose family foundation has been a key donor supporting SOM for several years.
"She uses her gift, music, to change, to nurture, to uplift," described Wolverton, adding that McLachlan "lives life with a deep well of purpose."
To punctuate the moving tributes, SOM students took the stage, with pianist Bridget Robinson playing her original composition "Unveiled," and Prince & Laica a cover of "The Winner Takes it All."
McLachlan at work on new album, finishing anniversary tour
"This is honestly one of those pinch me moments," said McLachlan. "It's amazingly cool."
In addition to sharing that her late father would have been especially proud, McLachlan touched on her love and value for communication. "It's all about connection," she described. "Communication is such an incredibly powerful tool," she said. "Music, as we all know, is all about communication and connection."
McLachlan is currently between dates on her Fumbling Towards Ecstasy Tour, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of the award-winning album of the same name. The tour began in Vancouver in May with a show at the Pacific Coliseum and will conclude in November in Victoria.
No stranger to significant honours and awards, McLachlan was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada (1999), invested into the Order of British Columbia (2001) and received a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement (Popular Music) (2015). A member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame (2017), she will be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on September 28 of this year.
Following the unveiling, McLachlan shared that she has been in the studio working on a new album which she hopes will be complete soon. For the post-stamp unveiling ceremony, McLachlan's plans were simple: Going out for sushi in Vancouver with friends.
