First Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals Awarded to Manitoba Community, Health Leaders and Military Personnel

Prominent members of Manitoba’s business and health sectors and nearly three dozen service members received Platinum Jubilee Medals from Queen Elizabeth II on Monday night, a week after the former monarch’s funeral in London.

Premier Heather Stefanson and Lieutenant Governor. Janice Filmon presented the top 70 of 1,000 awards to Manitobans in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne in 1952.

“Each of you brings the spirit of public service to life, each of you leads by example, each of you takes responsibility for making your community, your province, your country a better place,” Filmon told recipients.

« Each of you has your own unique story that has led you to this day, but each of those stories has one important thing in common: all of those stories started when you said ‘yes’ to a challenge or an opportunity. » Yes » is the mother of all possibility. »

Queen Elizabeth, Canada’s head of state and Britain’s longest reigning monarch, died on September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Provincial medals

The federal government decided not to offer medals for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee months ago, but Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have decided to offer theirs to local residents.

Former head of the vaccine task force, Dr. Joss Reimer, who now serves as the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s chief medical officer, was among the recipients at Monday night’s ceremony in the Queen’s Chamber of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

Dr. Jazz Atwal, deputy provincial chief public health officer, and Mark Chipman, executive chairman of True North Sports and Entertainment and the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, also received the honor.

Elder Mae Louise Campbell, co-founder of the Clan Mothers Healing Village and Knowledge Centre, also received one.

The final medal of the evening was awarded to Master Cpl. Jason Beaulieu. His wife, also in the armed forces, was brought back from a tour in Qatar and surprised her husband on stage as he received his medal.

“Today you are receiving this commemorative medal because each of you, in your own way, has helped preserve our country and strengthen our province for generations to come,” Stefanson told the crowd in his speech. fencing.

« You have honored the seven-decade legacy of the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II through your service, and I sincerely want to thank you for your contributions to our beautiful province. »

The remaining medals will be presented at ceremonies across the province during the Jubilee year.