The purpose of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal is commendable: to honour Canadians for their service to Canada. To recognize those who make a contribution to the country.
The medal should be a celebration of citizenship. In a country slow to praise and reluctant to thank, it should say: “We appreciate you.”
It isn’t the Nobel Prize. The medal itself isn’t precious or rare; it’s made of “nickel-silver” and 60,000 will be struck this year.
But for the courageous Hélène Campbell of Ottawa, who received one of the medals from the Prime Minister for raising awareness of organ donations, it was a timely, touching expression from a grateful nation. For others — such as broadcaster Steve Paikin, historian Norman Hillmer, actor Paul Gross, development entrepreneur Scott Gilmore — the medal recognizes professional excellence.
Yet in too many cases — the entire list will be published next year — the criteria aren’t “dedicated service to your peers, to your community and to Canada” which “deserve our praise and admiration,” as the Governor General writes in a form letter (“Dear recipient”) to the winners.
The medal isn’t wholly about merit. It is also about personal favour, politics and partisanship. That’s because there is no uniformity to the selection process. In reality, no one is setting the rules or vetting the winners.
It is turning the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal into a farce.
At best, the program’s inconsistency has devalued the medal’s currency. Those who deserve the medal share it with those who don’t, like that woman who is in jail for her actions at abortion clinics.
The problem with this honour begins with the notion that you don’t have to be Canadian (permanent residents are eligible) to receive it. This is the same woolly thinking that wants to extend voting in municipal elections in Toronto to residents, suggesting citizenship is a formality.
Worse, medals have been reserved for a legion of eminent Canadians, as if they were preferred customers selected for the latest iPad. These recipients happen to be much of the governing class.
For example, there are medals awarded to members of Parliament, members of the Privy Council, members of the Supreme Court and some of their counterparts in the provinces. There are even medals for members of the Order of Canada. They’ve already received the nation’s highest honour, but hell, if we’re dropping medals like leaflets over occupied Europe, save a few for them, too!
Then there are the “partner organizations” that have been given medals to distribute to whomever, however. Why these organizations were chosen — and how they have chosen the winners — is a mystery.
Among them are the Monarchist League of Canada and the Canadian Snowbird Association. No republicans need apply. The Snowbirds? If you winter in Florida, you get a medal.
Curiously, the Historica-Dominion Institute was given 38 medals to give out. Encounters with Canada, the country’s superb youth forum in Ottawa, was given 30 medals. Both are honouring worthy Canadians. But did anyone realize they are the same organization? That’s like rewarding the marketing and the sales divisions of General Motors.
The way to give meaning to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal is to give it authority. That means creating a disciplined, uniform process.
Consider how MP Mauril Bélanger distributed his allotment of 30 medals. He enlisted three prominent constituents, publicized the process and invited nominations from his constituents of Ottawa-Vanier, which each required letters of recommendation.
The committee made its choices (I was among them) and Bélanger announced the honourees. Then he graciously awarded each a medal, some in the chamber of the House of Commons. His approach had consistency, generosity, legitimacy and dignity.
The sadness about this tarnished medal program is that it misses an opportunity to express appreciation. We try to do this with the Order of Canada, but we’re stingy. We award a maximum of 130 a year. Since it was established in 1967, about 6,000 Canadians have been honoured.
In a country of almost 35 million, that’s not many. In France, with less than twice our population, there are about 100,000 members of the Légion d’honneur.
Members of the Order of Canada are recommended by an advisory board chaired by a panel of distinguished Canadians. It is a rigorous business, and it gives the honour meaning.
While many deserving Canadians have not been given the Order of Canada, it remains our highest recognition of excellence. As our population grows, we should double the annual number of recipients.
Meanwhile, let’s establish a lower form of decoration, presented in the name of the people of Canada, not the Queen. It might be offered to 1,000 Canadians every three years, through a transparent process in our communities. It would honour ordinary Canadians in their fields, particularly those who may never be recognized (as professionals often are).
A new order, and an expanded Order of Canada, would reflect a generous, mature country. A serious country.
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: Andrew Cohen
The medal should be a celebration of citizenship. In a country slow to praise and reluctant to thank, it should say: “We appreciate you.”
It isn’t the Nobel Prize. The medal itself isn’t precious or rare; it’s made of “nickel-silver” and 60,000 will be struck this year.
But for the courageous Hélène Campbell of Ottawa, who received one of the medals from the Prime Minister for raising awareness of organ donations, it was a timely, touching expression from a grateful nation. For others — such as broadcaster Steve Paikin, historian Norman Hillmer, actor Paul Gross, development entrepreneur Scott Gilmore — the medal recognizes professional excellence.
Yet in too many cases — the entire list will be published next year — the criteria aren’t “dedicated service to your peers, to your community and to Canada” which “deserve our praise and admiration,” as the Governor General writes in a form letter (“Dear recipient”) to the winners.
The medal isn’t wholly about merit. It is also about personal favour, politics and partisanship. That’s because there is no uniformity to the selection process. In reality, no one is setting the rules or vetting the winners.
It is turning the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal into a farce.
At best, the program’s inconsistency has devalued the medal’s currency. Those who deserve the medal share it with those who don’t, like that woman who is in jail for her actions at abortion clinics.
The problem with this honour begins with the notion that you don’t have to be Canadian (permanent residents are eligible) to receive it. This is the same woolly thinking that wants to extend voting in municipal elections in Toronto to residents, suggesting citizenship is a formality.
Worse, medals have been reserved for a legion of eminent Canadians, as if they were preferred customers selected for the latest iPad. These recipients happen to be much of the governing class.
For example, there are medals awarded to members of Parliament, members of the Privy Council, members of the Supreme Court and some of their counterparts in the provinces. There are even medals for members of the Order of Canada. They’ve already received the nation’s highest honour, but hell, if we’re dropping medals like leaflets over occupied Europe, save a few for them, too!
Then there are the “partner organizations” that have been given medals to distribute to whomever, however. Why these organizations were chosen — and how they have chosen the winners — is a mystery.
Among them are the Monarchist League of Canada and the Canadian Snowbird Association. No republicans need apply. The Snowbirds? If you winter in Florida, you get a medal.
Curiously, the Historica-Dominion Institute was given 38 medals to give out. Encounters with Canada, the country’s superb youth forum in Ottawa, was given 30 medals. Both are honouring worthy Canadians. But did anyone realize they are the same organization? That’s like rewarding the marketing and the sales divisions of General Motors.
The way to give meaning to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal is to give it authority. That means creating a disciplined, uniform process.
Consider how MP Mauril Bélanger distributed his allotment of 30 medals. He enlisted three prominent constituents, publicized the process and invited nominations from his constituents of Ottawa-Vanier, which each required letters of recommendation.
The committee made its choices (I was among them) and Bélanger announced the honourees. Then he graciously awarded each a medal, some in the chamber of the House of Commons. His approach had consistency, generosity, legitimacy and dignity.
The sadness about this tarnished medal program is that it misses an opportunity to express appreciation. We try to do this with the Order of Canada, but we’re stingy. We award a maximum of 130 a year. Since it was established in 1967, about 6,000 Canadians have been honoured.
In a country of almost 35 million, that’s not many. In France, with less than twice our population, there are about 100,000 members of the Légion d’honneur.
Members of the Order of Canada are recommended by an advisory board chaired by a panel of distinguished Canadians. It is a rigorous business, and it gives the honour meaning.
While many deserving Canadians have not been given the Order of Canada, it remains our highest recognition of excellence. As our population grows, we should double the annual number of recipients.
Meanwhile, let’s establish a lower form of decoration, presented in the name of the people of Canada, not the Queen. It might be offered to 1,000 Canadians every three years, through a transparent process in our communities. It would honour ordinary Canadians in their fields, particularly those who may never be recognized (as professionals often are).
A new order, and an expanded Order of Canada, would reflect a generous, mature country. A serious country.
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: Andrew Cohen
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