Ottawa, Tuesday, June 26, 2012

It is such a pleasure to be here to present the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal to members of the Order of Canada.

This milestone year in our country’s history celebrates the 60-year reign of the Queen of Canada.

Six decades ago, a young Queen began her reign, one focused on service to others. Her Majesty has experienced and seen many hardships, but also many joys. Through it all, she has remained dedicated to serving the Crown and the people of the Commonwealth.

As the representative of the Crown in Canada, and as one who has always admired The Queen’s steadfast devotion, I have been pleased to represent Canadians at a variety of events to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.

Throughout the year, in fact, Canadians have been showing their respect and admiration for Her Majesty’s commitment to service and duty.

I saw this first-hand when my wife, Sharon, and I were in London recently, where we joined with other Commonwealth leaders to mark this occasion. And it was there that I saw a great sea of support for our monarch. Canadians joined with others around the world to show that The Queen is the living symbol of the Crown, a living symbol of our history.

And since we began the festivities, we have had so many opportunities not just to celebrate Her Majesty, but also to honour Canadians who embody the spirit of service to others.

That is why we are here today. The Diamond Jubilee Medal will be presented to 60 000 Canadians who have contributed to our smart and caring nation.

As members of the Order of Canada, you have already shown that you are making great contributions to this country. But your good works did not finish the day you received your snowflake pin. Since that day, you have continued to build stronger communities and a better country. And we recognize all that you have done today with the Diamond Jubilee Medal.

And it is fitting that we do so here, in this space. “From Far and Wide—Honouring Great Canadians” is an exhibit that not only celebrates the stories of people like you who have been honoured by our country, but also informs the country about the process in which we honour Canadians. Perhaps the exhibit will even inspire someone to nominate a deserving individual for an honour, a Canadian who has not yet been recognized for his or her efforts.

The history of each award, decoration and medal on display—including the Diamond Jubilee Medal—gives us an idea of just how important it was that Her Majesty approved the creations of the Canadian Honours System, along with the Order of Canada, in 1967.

And today, we honour her contributions to Canada along with your own. All of you have helped to create a better country, a country of which we can all be proud.

Congratulations to you on this occasion, and let me close by quoting the words on the medal itself: VIVAT REGINA—long live The Queen!

Thank you.