In Colwood Mayor Carol HamiltonB次元官网网址檚 office sits, in its box, a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal that she hasnB次元官网网址檛 told many people about because she is seriously considering sending it back.

She didnB次元官网网址檛 ask for it, doesnB次元官网网址檛 know what led to her nomination and is concerned that she and other mayors receiving the medal dilutes the honour bestowed on more deserving recipients.

B次元官网网址淚t sits there because I havenB次元官网网址檛 yet decided on how this should be,B次元官网网址� Hamilton said.

In celebration of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth IIB次元官网网址檚 accession to the throne, a total of 60,000 medals were produced to B次元官网网址渉onour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians,B次元官网网址� according to the Governor GeneralB次元官网网址檚 website.

Recipients come from all walks of life and have included such people as Sidney Crosby and Justin Bieber, along with a great number of citizens honoured for volunteer work in their communities.

Also awarded have been more than 1,000 mayors, by way of nominations made by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. So many, that some have refused to receive them.

Earlier this year, two Ottawa area mayors, Raye-Anne Briscoe of Admaston/Bromley and Peter Emon of Greater Madawaska, returned their medals, believing they received the honour simply because they are mayors.

Not everyone sees the FCM nominations as a problem. With her award coming from the FCM, North Saanich Mayor Alice Finall said the honour was a delightful surprise.

B次元官网网址淚 thought it was lovely, it was a very nice recognition and I was very touched by that,B次元官网网址� Finall said. B次元官网网址淚 certainly didnB次元官网网址檛 feel (it was meaningless). With the national body, I felt very honoured.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 a delicate situation, Hamilton said, because she believes the FCM nomination was well intentioned, but also unfairly singles her out from the rest of her council and belittles the awards received by people specifically nominated.

Through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Colwood had the opportunity to recognize nine residents for their various contributions to the community.

B次元官网网址淲e, as council, went through that process with a very purposeful mindset of recognizing people who often fall under the radar, who do a number of things that benefit our community,B次元官网网址� Hamilton said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 torn with it because I donB次元官网网址檛 want to diminish the meaningfulness of those that we sent out.B次元官网网址�

The FCM (a voluntary union of municipalities active since 1901) received 4,000 medals to give away. An initial round of medals allowed municipalities to nominate residents to receive the awards. Approximately 2,500 citizens received medals, based on merit.

After this, all municipalities active with the federation for five years or more were nominated for the award by the FCM, and the mayors received these medals because they had to go to a person, not an entire council.

Of 3,800 mayors across the country, about 1,300 were nominated by the FCM. Of those, some 1,100 to 1,200 received Diamond Jubilee medals, essentially on behalf of their council.

Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard received a Diamond Jubilee medal from the province. He tried not to make a big deal of it because heB次元官网网址檚 uneasy with politicians giving other politicians awards.

B次元官网网址淭hat part of it IB次元官网网址檓 not too comfortable with,B次元官网网址� Leonard said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 much more interested in the volunteer citizens that we recognized.B次元官网网址�

Saanich council was only able to award Diamond Jubilee medals to two citizens. Leonard said there are many more Saanich residents that should have been recognized.

B次元官网网址淚 just donB次元官网网址檛 think what I do in public life measures up to anything like what some of the volunteers in our community (do).B次元官网网址�

Metchosin Mayor John Ranns received the award through a nomination by local Members of Parliament. As with others, Ranns later learned the FCM was also planning to award him the medal, not realizing he already had one.

B次元官网网址淚 guess they got stuck with a whole bunch of medals. B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 know,B次元官网网址� Ranns said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淢y council put me in for it, and people IB次元官网网址檝e got respect for approved it, so thatB次元官网网址檚 all thatB次元官网网址檚 important to me.B次元官网网址�

A list of all Diamond Jubilee medal recipients will be released by the Governor GeneralB次元官网网址檚 office later this spring.