Gordon Lightfoot Gets Canadian Stamp of Approval

There are a number of reasons for a musician to thank the cosmos for a Canadian birthright -- socialized medicine and that nifty law requiring radio stations to devote extra time to homegrown musicians ranking high on the list. But for our money, the biggest plus of all is being able to enjoy the feeling of having millions of countrymen lick your back side while you're still alive -- as Paul Anka, Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot are finding out.All three of the aforementioned performers have been immortalized in a new set of postage stamps issued this week by the Canadian postal service, which -- unlike its equivalent on this side of the 49th parallel -- is civilized enough to have dispensed with that archaic rule about needing to shuffle off this mortal coil before earning a spot on those all-important collection notices and time-share come-ons.

And while we certainly tip our hat to any recognition of Joni Mitchell, we can't help but wish Canada Post had found a little room in its heart for Toronto's Viletones -- something about seeing the face of Nat Z. Dog smiling up from a Nunavut postcard just tickles us.