Following the unveiling of The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Governor General and Prime Minister, the Honourable Steven Point, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, announced he is looking forward to celebrating the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II accession to the throne with British Columbians.
“The creation of The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal affords us the opportunity to honour the significant achievements and contributions of Canadians. I look forward to participating in medal ceremonies where many deserving British Columbians will be honoured.
“The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is cause for celebration across Canada. For 60 years, Queen Elizabeth II has served as our Head of State and our historic connection to The Crown embodies the stable and Canadian character of our democracy. I encourage the people of British Columbia to participate in the special occasions in 2012 to pay tribute to Her Majesty and to mark this tremendous milestone in our history.”
Here is some background from the Governor-General’s office in Ottawa:
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal will be a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country. At the same time, it will serve to recognize significant contributions and achievements by Canadians.
The Chancellery of Honours, as part of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, will administer the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal program.
The inaugural presentation ceremony of the Diamond Jubilee Medal will take place in 2012.
The front of the medal depicts a crowned image of the Sovereign, in whose name the medal is bestowed.
The reverse marks the sixtieth, or diamond, anniversary of the accession to the Throne of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The anniversary is expressed by the central diamond shape, by the background composed of a pattern of diamonds, and by the two dates. The Royal Cypher consists of the Royal Crown above the letters EIIR (i.e., Elizabeth II Regina, the latter word meaning Queen in Latin).
The maple leaves refer to Canada, while the motto VIVAT REGINA means “Long live The Queen!”
The ribbon uses a new arrangement of the blue, red and white colours found in the 1953 Coronation Medal, the 1977 Silver Jubilee Medal, and the 2002 Golden Jubilee Medal.
The design of the Diamond Jubilee Medal was created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, as part of the Chancellery of Honours.
