Ted Menzies presents Diamond Jubilee Medals in Pincher Creek

The Honourable Ted Menzies with area Diamond Jubilee
Award recipients
C. Davis photo

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice, with submitted material

The Honourable Ted Menzies, Member of Parliament for Macleod and Minister of State (Finance), presented 10 deserving citizens with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal on Thursday evening, September 6. The ceremony was held at the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village with over 75 guests in attendance.

Pincher Creek's Art Bonertz and Ted Menzies
C. Davis photo

The Diamond Jubilee Medal was created in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s throne acquisition as Queen of the Commonwealth. This medal is incorporated into Canada’s show of appreciation for Her Majesty’s service to our country. In addition, the Diamond Jubilee Medal serves to recognize and honour outstanding community achievements and contributions by Canadians. 

Pincher Creek's Earl Johnson with Ted Menzies
C. Davis photo

This award focuses on citizens who have extensive volunteerism and have served their communities in exceptional ways.  60,000 Canadians will be honoured for their accomplishments throughout this year.

Piper Terry Clarke
C. Davis photo

Terry Clarke of Stavely piped the recipients to their front row seats at the beginning of the ceremony. Clarke has served with the Willow Creek Emergency Services for 10 years and is a retired Calgary Paramedic.

Diamond Jubilee Medal
T. Lucas photo

Those honoured in the Pincher Creek ceremony included:

• Art Bonertz (Pincher Creek)
• Joanne Drain (Blairmore)
• Gail Fjordbotten (Granum)
• Ken Hurlburt (Fort Macleod)
• Earl Johnson (Pincher Creek)
• Gordon MacIvor (Fort Macleod)
• Frank McTighe (Fort Macleod)
• Cliff Reiling (Blairmore)
• Conrad Van Hierden (Fort Macleod)

Recipient Kathy Kerr of Blairmore was unable to attend the ceremony, so Mr. Menzies personally delivered her award to her home at the York Creek Lodge.

Joanne Drain of Blairmore with Ted Menzies
C. Davis photo

Granum's Gail Fjordbotten with Ted Menzies
C. Davis photo

Gordon MacIvor of Fort Macleod with Ted Menzies
C. Davis photo

Frank McTighe of Fort Macleod with Ted Menzies
C. Davis photo

Conrad Van Hierden of Fort Macleod and Ted Menzies
C. Davis photo

Cliff Reiling of Blairmore with Ted Menzies
C. Davis photo

Ken Hurlburt of Fort Macleod with Ted Menzies
C. Davis photo

After the ceremony Menzies spoke of the obvious joy he received in return for handing out the awards.  "The only thing I would say is it's one of the happier moments for a Member of Parliament to be able to present awards to deserving people," he said.  "Not every crowd that I go to visit is happy.  These people deserve more than this, but it's a nice symbol, something that they will be able to remember, whether they frame it or whether they wear it.  It's recognition that many of them would never receive.  So I was honoured to be able to give that to them. It's pretty neat."

"When I first heard about it, I thought this is great to be able to pick these people out.  Then I realized what a formidable task it was to pick them.  How do you choose? I don't know everybody, I can't know everybody."  Menzies was assisted in the mammoth task by local governing bodies, including the Council for the Town of Pincher Creek.

A brief interview on other issues:

"What are the challenges facing you in your constituency?" I asked him.

"The challenges, well, we're looking at re-distribution of the electoral boundaries. That will be a bit of a challenge, because we've outgrown what should be the average population, because Alberta's growing.  We're going to lose a little bit of what I proudly claim as my riding, that of Macleod.

"The population is 127 thousand and it's grown. The average across the country is about 102 thousand and they're trying to bring them all down to that.  We're getting more seats in Alberta, so we're getting more representation.  But some of the people that I have represented I won't be able to after the re-distribution.  So that's a little sad in a way, and we don't know how that's going to unfold, but there was a commission put together to come up with the boundary changes,  adding six new ridings in Alberta, because Alberta has grown exponentially.  Well, drive to Calgary, and then you'll see."

"It's such a beautiful part of the country (the Macleod riding).  Whenever I speak of it I speak very proudly of it.  I represent one of the most beautiful ridings in Canada."

"The next two weeks, I'm in the riding before the house sits again."

"It's been difficult with my fairly new role in finance, more obligations in Ottawa than I like, and across the country.  But I still try to get home to the riding every weekend and try to get to as many events as I can."

"I hope to see a lot of constituents in the next couple of weeks."  

Menzies said he was getting along just fine with the new Provincial government.

"The MLA for this region, Pat Stier we've actually ended up in two or three parades together and had some good conversations.  Seems like a good solid guy."

"How are you enjoying Finance?" I asked.  "I love it.  It's fascinating," he said.