WEYBURN - A number of Weyburn residents were recognized to their contributions and achievements, and awarded with the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal during a special event at the Weyburn Legion on Jan. 17.
The Crown in Canada has a long history of instituting commemorative medals during important years, notably during Coronation Years, Jubilee Years and on the anniversary of Confederation.
The first such commemorative medals awarded to Canadians was the Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. This was followed one decade later by the first Diamond Jubilee medals, struck fro Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
In Canada, since the 1935 Silver Jubilee of King George V, commemorative medals have been awarded to recognize all manners of service to the Crown and the country. This included local, provincial, national and international levels.
As part of the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II ascending the throne as Queen of Canada, this long tradition of creating commemorative medals has continued. In absence of a federal Platinum Jubilee Medal program, six provinces had reestablished Jubilee Medals of their own, each with the same ribbon, overall design and criteria. Queen Elizabeth II approved the design of the medal on May 17, 2022.
The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal is a tangible way for Saskatchewan to honour the late Queen for her service to Canada, while also recognizing the significant contributions and achievements by Saskatchewan citizens.
