BLIZZARD: Canada marks Queen's Platinum Jubilee with a whimper & More News Here

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The Queen of Canada is celebrating 70 wonderful years on the Throne this week.

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You would by no means comprehend it, judging by the federal authorities’s feeble efforts to mark that momentous landmark.

In the U.Okay., they’re celebrating with a four-day weekend vacation. There are road events and beacons will likely be lit from coast to coast. Her Majesty will preside over her official birthday celebration — Trooping the Colour — on Thursday and there’ll be a large social gathering in entrance of Buckingham Palace. There are church providers and festivals and even a contest to dream up a celebratory Jubilee dessert.

Events comparable to this are vital within the lifetime of a nation. They carry individuals collectively and create robust bonds inside the group. It’s one thing we lack in Canada. It would have been particularly highly effective after a lengthy, troublesome pandemic to get collectively to have a good time what a nice nation that is. And that’s what this celebration is all about. It’s not simply a private milestone for the Queen. As head of state, once we have a good time her reign what we’re actually celebrating is our nation — a nice, steady, peaceable, democracy and a constitutional monarchy.

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What are we doing in Canada? Nothing. Or little or no.

If you test the Government of Canada web site, you’ll find directions on the right way to obtain a Platinum Jubilee videoconference backdrop.

Whoa. I can’t wait.

On June 2, federal authorities buildings throughout the nation will likely be illuminated and the Royal Canadian Mint has produced a commemorative coin. But there’s little else happening. No Platinum Jubilee medals being awarded to Canadians. Ten years in the past, 60,000 Canadians from coast to coast have been awarded Diamond Jubilee medals in recognition of their work as volunteers or for his or her contribution to the group. I acquired one among them, and I can let you know it is vitally shifting and a large honour to obtain an award from the Crown.

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The current Royal Tour by Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and his spouse, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall was an abbreviated three-day whistle-stop that took them from Newfoundland to Ottawa to Yellowknife, barely pausing for breath.

Apart from the capital area, it took in no main cities and was a pale imitation of earlier excursions, which lasted upwards of 10 days and stretched throughout main cities.

Since the itineraries for such excursions are typically set by the federal Canadian Heritage ministry, you possibly can solely assume that that is a deliberate snub to the monarchy by the feds.

Why may we not have turned the Victoria Day weekend into a four-day vacation, and named the fourth day “Elizabeth Day” in celebration of a girl who’s devoted her life to service of the U.Okay., to Canada and to the Commonwealth?

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I suppose we must always count on no higher from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. His ambivalence in direction of the monarchy runs deep within the household. His father, Pierre, as soon as pirouetted behind the Queen’s again to indicate his disrespect.

It’s all so mealy-mouthed and never in retaining with who Canadians are. On each Royal Tour I’ve coated, I’ve seen hundreds of individuals end up to welcome whoever was visiting. Sure, a lot of that’s curiosity, however we typically have a nice affection for the monarchy and people who characterize it. They assist outline who we’re as a nation inside the North American context.

The Queen has visited this nation on 22 official visits. She deserves higher than this.

God Save The Queen, I say. Long could she reign.