The Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Nova Scotia) was created to mark the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s Accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada. The program concluded on 5 February 2023 after which time no further nominations or awards will be made.

The overall purpose the medal program is to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the province or to a particular region, community or field. The medal honours Queen Elizabeth II and her lifelong service to Canada, as well as those residents of Nova Scotia who, like Her Late Majesty, devoted their lives to making this province a better place.

PROGRAM PARTNERS

In addition to Members of the Legislative Assembly, a broad range of program partners were invited to submit nominations. These partners included Indigenous organizations, veterans’ organizations, immigrant settlement organizations, organizations involved in the provision of healthcare, an array of non-governmental community-based organizations, the Canadian Armed Forces, various Protective Services (Police, Fire, Corrections, Emergency Medical Services, Peace Officers), and the provincial and municipal employees.

Members of the public were also able to submit nominations through their MLA.


ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for this honour, nominees had to meet the following criteria:

• The individual must reside in the province or have a tangible link to Nova Scotia;

• The individual must have been alive as of 6 February 2022, the seventieth anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the throne;

• The individual must have made significant contributions to Nova Scotia or to a particular region, community or field.


SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS

The following guidelines were developed to provide guidance in selecting deserving candidates:

• The awarding of the medal should focus on the achievements of persons who have helped to build the Nova Scotia of today, including seniors, volunteers, veterans, and youth;

• A focus of the program is also to recognizing the contributions and services rendered by individuals throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic;

• Through their achievements and sustained contribution, the candidates have distinguished themselves from others volunteering in/employed in the same field;

• Recipients should be highly respected individuals within their community. The recipients’ names will be part of the public record;

• Nominees should be inclusive and reflect the demographics of their region or community;

• The medal is to be awarded to individuals only, not to groups or couples (unless they are nominated individually);

• Self-nominations are not permitted.


WHY WAS THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II’S PLATINUM JUBILEE MEDAL BEING CREATED?

The commemorative medal was been created to mark the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada. The Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal was be a tangible way for Nova Scotia to honour Her Majesty’s service to Canada.

The Medal program was part of the Platinum Jubilee year celebrations, organized by the Government of Nova Scotia. Permission was sought from the Government of Canada to have the Medal included in the Order of Precedence, along with the other commemorative medals in the honours system and this was granted by Order-in-Council.


WHY ARE COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS ESTABLISHED?

Commemorative medals are established to mark special anniversaries or occasions. They are typically awarded to recognize contributions made by Canadians from a broad spectrum of society.

Other commemorative medals include the Canadian Centennial Medal (1967); the Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee Medal (1977); the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992); the Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee Medal (2002); and the Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012). Provinces have previously created commemorative medals, notably the Alberta Centennial Medal and the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal (both in 2005), which were officially recognized by the Government of Canada and authorized for wear with other official honours.


WHO IS ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM?

The program was administered by the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs, Protocol and Honours Secretariat in partnership with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.


DESIGN OF THE PLATINUM JUBILEE MEDAL 

The design of the medal was released by the Lieutenant Governor on 2 June 2022 after approval for the use of the effigy and Royal Symbols given by Her Majesty The Queen.

The obverse (front) of the medal, displays a Crowned effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with her Canadian Style and title, along with two natural maple leaves. This effigy was designed by renowned heraldic artist, Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Fraser Herald of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, which is part of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General.

The reverse (back) displays the shield of arms of Nova Scotia, surmounted by The Queen’s Royal Cypher and the dates of the reign being celebrated, “1952”-“2022”, separated by a pair of Mayflowers (the provincial flower and shape of the Order of Nova Scotia), with the phrase “VIVAT REGINA” at the base, which means “Long Live The Queen.”

The ribbon is based on the next permutation in the alternating colours used for the Coronation and Jubilee Medals issued throughout The Queen’s reign. Blue and White are the Provincial colours as taken from the flag, while Red and White are the national colours of Canada, as taken from the National Flag and Royal Arms of Canada. The colour white also doubles as a representation of platinum, and the medal commemorates the Platinum Jubilee. The ribbon and reverse of the medal were collaboratively designed by Dr. Christopher McCreery, Private Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor, and Lieutenant-Colonel Carl Gauthier, from the Directorate of Honours and Recognition of the Department of National Defence.

The medal was struck by Guthrie Woods Ltd. of Ottawa, while the ribbon was made by Toy, Kenning & Spencer of England. The embossed certificate paper was printed in Nova Scotia by The Layne Company of Bedford, which also prints the Order of Nova Scotia appointment certificates


WAS NOVA SCOTIA THE ONLY JURISDICITON TO HAVE A PLATINUM JUBILEE MEDAL PROGRAM?

NO: The United Kingdom and many of The Queen’s Caribbean Realms also instituted a Platinum Jubilee Medal Programs for 2022.


WHAT OTHER PROVINCES HAD A PLATINUM JUBILEE MEDAL PROGRAM?

New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta also had Platinum Jubilee Medal Programs. Nova Scotia worked closely with these jurisdictions to assist them in establishing a medal program based on the Nova Scotia Platinum Jubilee Medal Program


HOW WAS THE NUMBER OF 5,000 RECIPIENTS ARRIVED AT?

It was decided to proceed with 5,000 recipients based on the number of Nova Scotians recognized in the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Medal Program. At that time, 3,800 residents of Nova Scotia were awarded medals. The number 5,000 accounts for population growth and also the desire to recognize a large number of people who have made significant contributions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.


WERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BE ABLE TO MAKE NOMINATIONS?

YES: Members of the public were able e to nominate people via their MLA or other program partners.


DID PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE NOVA SCOTIA RECEIVE THE MEDAL?

YES. While there was no residency or citizenship requirement to receive the medal, anyone being nominated for the medal must have a direct connection to the province and must have made a significant contribution to the province.

As with the Order of Nova Scotia, a number of non-residents with strong Nova Scotia ties were recognized; notably the Nobel Prize Winning physicist Art McDonald who was born in Cape Breton but lives in Kingston ON, the award-winning poet George Elliott Clarke, who was born in Windsor but now resides in Toronto, along with other distinguished Canadians who have a direct connection to the province.


HOW WAS THE MEDAL APPROVED?

Her Majesty The Queen approved the design. The Governor-in-Council, composed of the provincial Cabinet and the Lieutenant Governor, approved the creation of the medal and program. In this capacity, the Lieutenant Governor is also acting on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen. The Government of Canada then approved the medal for wear alongside other Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals through Order-in-Council 2022-1192.


WILL OTHER PROVINICAL MEDALS BE ESTABLISHED? 

At this time, there are no plans to create other provincial medals. This program has been established to fill a gap left by the absence of a federal Platinum Jubilee Medal Program. This one-time commemorative program concluded oF February 5, 2023.


WHERE WILL THIS MEDAL FIT WITH MY OTHER MEDALS?

The Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Nova Scotia) was incorporated into the national table of precedence for wearing orders, decorations and medals, through Federal Order-in-Council 2022-1192. This Order-in-Council authorizes recipients of the Platinum Jubilee Medal to wear the medal alongside other federal and provincial honours of the Crown. If you have been awarded a Platinum Jubilee Medal from more than one Province, you shall only wear ONE Platinum Jubilee Medal.

The medal shall be worn at the end of the table of precedence for wearing Canadian orders, decorations and medals. The complete list can be found via this link under OTHER. For uniformed personnel, and veterans, it is worn AFTER the RCMP Long Service Medal, Canadian Forces’ Decoration, Service Medal of the Order of St. John and Canadian Corps of Commissionaires Long Service Medal. If you have been awarded the Nova Scotia Police Long Service Medal, the Platinum Jubilee Medal is worn BEFORE this medal.  

A helpful guide to wearing Canadian orders, decorations and medals has been created by the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall and can be viewed and downloaded via this link.


WHAT WAS THE CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS?

Medal recipients had to meet the following criteria:

• Be a resident of Nova Scotia or have a tangible link to Nova Scotia at the time of the grant of the medal;

• Have made a significant contribution to Canada, Nova Scotia or a particular Nova Scotian region or community; and

• Was alive on 6 February 2022, the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne.


CAN THE MEDAL BE AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY?

To be eligible, the candidate must have been alive on February 6, 2022, the date of the 70th anniversary of The Queen’s accession to the Throne.


DID SOME PEOPLE RECEIVE THE MEDAL AUTOMATICALLY?

Some Nova Scotians who have already demonstrated their contribution to the province, such as those on the provincial Table of Precedence, Indigenous leaders, recipients of the Cross of Valour, and members of the Order of Canada and Order of Nova Scotia, received the medal.


ONCE SELECTED, HOW DID THE RECIPIENTS RECEIVE THEIR MEDAL?

The Lieutenant Governor presided over nearly thirty investitures and presented more than six hundred Jubilee Medals through the fall of 2022 and into January 2023. Members of the Legislative Assembly and various program partners also held medal investiture ceremonies.


WILL THE LIST OF RECIPIENTS BE PUBLIC?

The Protocol and Honours Secretariat is presently completing the final list of recipients which will be made available in an electronic format.


INAUGURAL INVESTITURE

The inaugural investiture was held in the Commonwealth Ballroom of the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel on 4 August 2022 when Lieutenant Governor the Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc invested nearly 70 Nova Scotians with their Platinum Jubilee Medals. Photos from the ceremony can be viewed here.


WHEN DID THE PROGRAM CONCLUDE?

The Platinum Jubilee Medal Program conclude on 5 February 2023 with the names of the final recipients being submitted at that time.


WHERE CAN ADDITIONAL INQUIRIES REGARDING THE PLATINUM JUBILEE MEDAL PROGRAM BE ANSWERED?

Questions about the Platinum Jubilee Medal Program can be sent to the Protocol and Honours Secretariat at jubileemedal@novascotia.ca or by calling 1-902-424-4199.