CBC Archives

Discuss with students the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Direct students to the Web link www.cbc.ca/news/bigpicture/queen/ to browse the information about her 2002 visit. Students should focus specifically on the Queen’s address on October 2002 and Jean Chrétien’s welcome. Point out to students that recent polls suggest that while the Queen’s importance as head of state may be declining, her personal popularity appears virtually unaffected.

Organize the class into groups of three. Half of the groups will view Clips #1 to #4 and the other half will view Clips #5 to #10 on the topic Canada’s New Queen on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Remind them to review the Additional Clips, Did You Know?, and Links sections as well.

As students participate in the research process, they will complete the download sheet The Queen’s Role to record the details of the Queen’s visits to Canada. They should note clip number, the time period, the location, the significance or purpose of the visit, and other points they feel are important.

Have students meet to share their research, adding new information to their records. Using the information they have gathered, each student will write a personal opinion paper about the Queen’s place in defining Canadian identity.

As a group, reflect on the Queen’s place in Canada throughout the years. Is this role important in light of the fact that the Queen has been our head of state for over 50 years? Students can share points from their opinion paper.

Students can conduct a classroom or school-based poll to determine opinions on the relevance of the Queen as head of state and her personal popularity and its place in our country.