Mississippi Mills mayor to return one of two Jubilee medals he received

Double Trouble with Jubilee Medal. Mississippi Mills Mayor John Levi holds up one of his Diamond Jubilee Medal in the town council chambers beside the Canadian flag and in front of the portrait of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Tiffany Lepack

MISSISSIPPI MILLS - Mississippi Mills Mayor John Levi has received not one but two Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals.

Levi received one from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) for serving as mayor since 2010, which he is going to return, and a second for his numerous years of community service, which he is planning to keep.

“This medal should be prestigious and should be given to people for things they have done. I don’t feel that they (FCM) know who I am or what I have done or anything about me other than they just sent it to me,” said Levi of the medal that just showed up in the mail, during an interview after town council wrapped up on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Levi said he feels very proud of the medal that he will soon receive for his community service, including volunteer work with the Business Improvement Association, Chamber of Commerce and coaching youth sports.

However, he says he is not proud of the other medal because he thinks just sending them out devalues it for the people who really earned it.

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal marks the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne in 1952. During the year of celebrations, 60,000 deserving Canadians (of all ages and from all walks of life) were recognized.