Article content

OTTAWA — A group of senators tried to secure Senate money for a Canada 150 medals program Thursday, months after the National Post reported the Liberal government was cancelling a federally-funded program.

But plans for an initial run of 5,000 medals saw a major setback after a motion put to the Senate’s internal economy, budgets and administration committee to approve $558,750 in funding failed after a tie vote.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Powerful committee quashes Senators' attempt to fund Canada 150 medal program Back to video

Models of the medals were circulated around the room while Liberal senator Serge Joyal and Conservative senator David Wells presented their plans, made in collaboration with independent senator Patricia Bovey and Conservative senator Betty Unger.

Joyal said, “you will know the quality of the making of the medal,” and the Royal Canadian Mint would be producing them.

A Senate “table medal,” Wells explained, would provide senators with an opportunity to recognize people in their communities who had made “meaningful contributions” to their communities, provinces or the country as a whole.