| General Description : |
The enthusiastic participation of the governments and people of the world in Canada's Expo 67 makes it fitting that our country should undertake to play a prominent role in Japan's Expo 70, Asia's first World Exposition. Our four pavilions, erected by the Government of Canada and the Governments of the Provinces of British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, represent the largest number of structures built by any country, other than Japan. It is in recognition of this four-fold participation that the Canada Post Office has prepared four commemorative stamps, three of which associate the provincial floral emblems with the symbol of Expo 70, a stylized cherry blossom the five petals of which symbolize the five continents. Centred in the symbol a circle representing the sun of Japan. Canada's fourth stamp associates the Expo 70 symbol with that of our Centennial year World Fair in 1967. A country recognized to have taken giant steps forward since the beginning of the 20th century, Japan and her some 100 million people entered into the preparation of a $2,000,000,000 World Fair with zest and energy. It was with characteristic foresight that in the planning of the 815 acre fair site, folded in the hills about ten miles from the nation's second largest city, Osaka, it was so structured that it would later be suitable for conversion to a model city of the future. Although 80% of Japan's total land area of 142,727 square miles is virtually unhabitable mountainous terrain, her over-all density of population is more than 650 persons to the square mile. Canada's national pavilion, with an area of 60,000 square feet on a site area of 103,000 square feet, is described as a truncated pyramid with 45 degree inclined walls sheathed with mirrors terminated at a height of 65 feet. The slanting exterior walls, with a mirrored surface of 65,000 square feet, present a constantly changing image. At some angles of vision the reflected sky can cause the pavilion to virtually disappear. Entering the visitor is engulfed in the autumn colour grandeur of a maple tree forest. Exhibits relate to the chosen theme of "Discovery" by illustrating the size of Canada and the structure of the population. Each of the three other Canadian pavilions relay information about the sponsoring province. British Columbia's reflects the majesty of the Rockies and the province's timber industry with giant Douglas fir trunks soaring to the height of a sixteen storey building. Quebec's contribution is a structure in the form of a prism with a habitant pitched roof through which four supporting columns emerge as representative of the chimneys of industry. Ontario's pavilion, a rectangular blue steel structure supported by white pillars, features a screen some sixty feet wide on which a battery of projectors throw colour images of the province's way of life. Exhibits from about seventy-six countries will await visitors to the 1970 World Fair commencing on 15th March. As the host nation, Japan has five major pavilions arranged in the circular pattern of cherry blossom petals, a flower synonymous with the culture of her people. Their exhibits will present the possibilities of tomorrow, the present, and an insight into the nation's long and colourful past. For the theme of her World Fair Japan chose "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." |
Alain Martineau
