As part of the anniversary preparations, Moore and Gov. Gen. David Johnston visited the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa to observe the striking of the first of 60,000 Diamond Jubilee medals, which will be awarded to civic-minded Canadians throughout 2012.
The death of King George VI from cancer on Feb. 6, 1952, instantly transformed a then-25-year-old Princess Elizabeth into the Queen of Canada, though her formal coronation took place more than a year later, in June 1953.
Major celebrations are also planned in Britain, including a public exhibition of famous artwork, jewels and other historic artifacts from the Royal Collection, and a planned armada of hundreds of decorated ships and boats on the Thames River.
The last time Canadians celebrated a regal Diamond Jubilee was in 1897, when Queen Victoria — Elizabeth's great-great grandmother — marked the 60th year of her reign.
The federal Conservative government has — in contrast to previous Liberal governments — conspicuously conveyed its fondness for the spirit and symbols of Canada's constitutional monarchy. Earlier this year, it announced the restoration of the word "Royal" to the navy and air force branches of the Canadian military, and orders were also sent out to Canadian consular officials to make sure the Queen's portrait is prominently displayed in the country's embassies around the world.
"For 60 years, Her Majesty has exemplified the true meaning of public service," said Moore. "By supporting this most historic and significant anniversary, our government is delivering on its commitment to reinforce our heritage through active celebration of our institutions that define who we are as Canadians."
The government has earmarked $750,000 to provide "modest support" for community-based initiatives intended to commemorate the Queen's 60th year on the throne.
A series of national, regional and local events, still to be detailed, will be held during the week of Feb. 6, 2012, as part of an official "Diamond Jubilee Week" highlighting the precise moment of Elizabeth's accession as Queen six decades ago. Subsequent events honouring the Queen are expected to dovetail with Canada Day and other holidays.
A major education effort is also planned, with the revising and re-publication of A Crown of Maples, the signature federal booklet on the history and contemporary role of the monarchy in Canada's system of government.
Commemorative coins and stamps, as well as teaching materials linked the 60th anniversary, will also be made available across the country, all part of the government's plan "to increase awareness about this national milestone and encourage Canadians to actively celebrate it in ways that are most meaningful to them."
The Jubilee Medal program, announced in February by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is meant to "acknowledge those unsung heroes from all walks of life who support and contribute to their communities, each in their own unique ways," he stated at the time.
Johnston stated at the same ceremony that the medal is "an affirmation of Her Majesty's six-decade-old oath of service and commitment" but also represents an opportunity "to recognize deserving Canadians who have contributed so much to this nation."
A jubilee celebration for a reigning monarch is indeed a rare event. The woman believed to be the oldest Canadian today, 112-year-old Sum Ying Fung of Vancouver, was still two years away from being born in her native China when Canada was celebrating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Fung, however, may be the only person in Canada today who lived for a time during Victoria's reign, which ended with her death in January 1901.
Moore, the government's point man on celebrating Canadian heritage, is overseeing ambitious plans to mark a host of major national anniversaries in the coming years, culminating with the country's 150th birthday on July 1, 2017.
In October, Moore unveiled a four-year, $28-million plan to commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812, casting the conflict between the young United States and an alliance of British, Canadian and First Nations forces as an event that set the stage for the birth of a united, independent Canada a half-century later.
The government plans to commemorate two major anniversaries in 2015: the bicentennial of the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald in Glasgow, Scotland, and the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Canadian flag on Feb. 15, 1965.
Though the Conservatives would have to win the next federal election — expected to take place in October 2015 — to preside over Canada's 150th birthday bash in 2017, planning for the sesquicentennial of Confederation has already begun in earnest, with a Parliamentary committee recently hearing from witnesses about how Canada should celebrate the milestone.
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Source: Canada.com
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