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ALBERTA HONOURS ITS CITIZENS IN THE NAME OF THE QUEEN
by Chelsey Hoople
 Her Majesty has stressed that the Golden Jubilee should be a time of community activities and goodwill. In honour of this vision, the Alberta Government and communities province-wide have dedicated celebrations recognizing Her Majesty's inspiring 50 year reign to all citizens. For the Government of Alberta, commemoration of the event comes in many forms, from scholarships to levees. Bill One, the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Recognition Act, set the tone for the province's celebrations with the introduction of the annual Premier's Citizenship Award and the annual Queen's Golden Jubilee Scholarships for the Visual and Performing Arts. These awards, in the spirit of Her Majesty's ongoing dedication to the youth of the Commonwealth, honour those young Albertans who show a true dedication to the development of our great country through artistic achievement or community leadership. The Queen's Golden Jubilee Scholarships for the Visual and Performing Arts, recommended by Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole, was presented to two outstanding young Albertans in order to assist them in their future studies. It was a difficult choice for the panel of expert jurors who chose the winners from a long list of worthy candidates. However, the decision was unanimous when it came to the final selection. David LeFort Nugent of Edmonton, winner of the Scholarship in Performing Arts, will be studying at Yale University, School of Drama in the Master of Fine Arts, Playwriting Program. Amanda Marshall of Sherwood Park, winner of the Scholarship in Visual Arts, will be completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at the prestigious Emily Carr College of Art in Vancouver. The recipients of the Premier's Citizenship Award will be announced later this year. As the Jubilee is a time for celebration as well as commemoration, the Government of Alberta also introduced a number of events and initiatives for the occasion. Flowerbeds planted with flowers that match colours in the Queens Official Logo created for the Jubilee have been planted on the South Legislature Grounds and at Government House in Edmonton, as well as at McDougall Centre in Calgary, and a commemorative plaque was placed at each location for the occasion. A celebration for all Albertans was held on the South Legislature Grounds on Sunday, June 23. The Queen's Golden Jubilee Garden Levee, hosted by the Honourable Lieutenant Governor Dr. Lois E. Hole, C.M., A.O.E and the Honourable Gene Zwozdesky, Minister of Community Development and Minister responsible for the Queen's Golden Jubilee, was a fun-filled afternoon with cake, lemonade, tea and approximately 150 entertainers ranging from magicians to choirs to dance troupes. Over 4,000 Albertans were in attendance, taking the opportunity to meet Her Honour and the Minister as well as to sign a note of greetings and congratulations for Her Majesty. Her Honour, famous for her hugs, commented that events such as the levee gives citizens a chance to feel a little closer to the monarchy, and, "what we want to realize is how important the monarchy is to Canada and certainly to Alberta." On June 29, The Provincial Museum of Alberta, in partnership with a number of museums, institutions and organizations, opened the Money/L'Argent exhibit in honour of the Jubilee. The exhibit, which features rare currencies from the past and present that illustrate the history, art and importance of money in our culture, features several examples of Queen Elizabeth II's portraiture on Commonwealth coins. A special opening in honour of Her Majesty, hosted by the Museum and the Royal Canadian Mint, was presided over by the Honourable Lois Hole and featured a coin exchange for the 50-cent Golden Jubilee commemorative coin as well as free tea, cake and ice cream outdoors in the beautiful setting of the Museum grounds and Government House. Binders are currently circulating around the province for Albertans to send their best wishes to The Queen. They also have the opportunity to send greetings through the Government's Jubilee page (www.gov.ab.ca/home/jubilee). The messages will be sent to Her Majesty when they have completed circulation. The official photos provided by Canadian Heritage were distributed to Alberta schools, acute care facilities, courthouses, legions, libraries, long-term care facilities, municipalities, museums and senior's lodges for display. The significance of the monarchy to our country is certainly not to be underestimated. It is an important part of our past, present and future, and we must ensure that future generations remain mindful of the contributions of Her Majesty and those dedicated monarchs that came before her. In Alberta, we have taken this opportunity to celebrate Her Majesty's incredible achievements over the past 50 years, as well as the incredible achievements made by our own communities. However, we have also set our sights on the future. Fostering our development as a province and as a country serves as a lasting tribute to the Golden Jubilee and Her Majesty's continuing glorious reign.  |
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