Potential Themes For The 2016 Commemorative SD

Each year since 2012, the theme for the RCM's annual commemorative silver dollar has come from the list of year-by-year milestones published by the Government of Canada as part of its "Canada 150 - Road to 2017" national commemoration program. (You can see the milestones selected here: http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1359662...359989806481.)

Of all the milestones listed for 2012 through 2015, only two have not been marked with a commemorative coin of at least one denomination by the RCM: the Bicentennial of the Red River Settlement (2012) and the 20th Anniversary of the Medak Pocket Battle. So, it seems very likely that the list of "Road to 2017" milestones for 2016 will once again be a source for themes of new RCM commemorative coins.

The listed milestones for 2016 are:

- 175th anniversary of the Election of Baldwin and Lafontaine - Leaders for Responsible Government
- 175th anniversary of Sir Wilfrid Laurier's birth
- 150th anniversary of the Fenian Raids
- Centennial of Women's Suffrage
- Centennial of the Battles of the Somme and Beaumont-Hamel (First World War)
- 75th anniversary of the Battle of Hong Kong

I'm guessing that Laurier's birth anniversary will be commemorated on a $20 silver coin, and feature a design of the style used for the coins issued for Sir John A. MacDonald and Sir George-etienne Cartier.

The WWI and WWII milestones will also likely be marked with $20 coins and take their place within the RCM's ongoing "World War" commemorative series.

I'm not sure whether the Fenian Raids will be marked on a coin. If their anniversary is commemorated, however, I can see a $5 coin being used. (Of course, the RCM currently uses the SD planchets for its silver $5 coins, so they would be almost like SDs!)

So, that leaves the "Leaders for Responsible Government" and "Centennial of Women's Suffrage" milestones as the most likely to be marked with a commemorative SD. At this point, I'm leaning toward the "Leaders" as the SD theme. Considering "Responsible Government" (see below for definition) played a central role in the establishment of democracy in Canada and was also instrumental in enabling Canada to achieve its independence from the UK by peaceful means rather than armed revolution, it seems to be the major milestone of 2016 and therefore a perfect candidate for the annual SD. I can see "Women's Suffrage" being the theme of a Special Edition SD issued later in the later.

I guess we'll know for sure in a few weeks! Stay tuned!


* Responsible government refers to a government that is responsible to the people. In Canada responsible government is more commonly described as an executive or Cabinet that is dependent on the support of an elected assembly, rather than on the monarch. It originated in Canada in the 1830s and became an important part of Confederation. - Excerpt from: The Canadian Encyclopedia (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia....-government/)