Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal

Infobox Military Award
name=Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal


caption=Medal : Obverse and Reverse
awarded_by=Canada
type= Medal
eligibility=
for=
status= Currently awarded
description=
clasps=
established=2000
first_award=6 September 2000
last_award=
total=
posthumous=
recipients=68 000
individual=
higher=
same=
lower=


caption2=Ribbon

Initially formulated in 1988 following the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to UN peacekeepers, the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal and shows the Canadian Peacekeeping Memorial adorned with two maple leaves.

History

In 1988, the famous Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to United Nations Peacekeepers in recognition of their efforts to create peace for more than fifty years. It inspired the creation of the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal (CPSM), its purpose is to recognize all Canadians, including serving and former members of the Canadian Forces, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, other police services, and Canadian civilians who contributed to peace on certain missions. The medal has taken some time to reach the presentation stage, but as with the creation of any major honour or award, the approval of this award involved consultation with a large number of interested individuals. ref|back

Design

The Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal is one of the most distinctive peacekeeping medals in existence. It is well noted for its design.

Medal

The medal's obverse has three Canadian Peacekeeper figures that top the Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa. One is an unarmed United Nations Military Observer, holding binoculars. A second soldier, a woman, shoulders a radio, while the third stands guard with a rifle. Above them is a dove, the international symbol of peace. It also bears the inscriptions Peacekeeping and Service de la paix (peacekeeping in French), together with two maple leafs. The medal's reverse shows the cypher of Her Majesty the Queen on a maple leaf surrounded by two sprigs of laurel and the word Canada. A single-toe claw attaches the top of the medal to the centre of a slotted bar. There is a maple leaf in the centre of the slotted bar.

Ribbon

The colours on the medals ribbon are red, white, green and blue. The green shows volunteerism. The blue is the colour on the United Nations flag and the red and white are the colours of the flag of Canada. The red can also represent the blood shed by 113 Canadian peacekeepers and the white could also represent purity.

Eligibility

The Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal recognizes Canadian peacekeepers deployed outside Canada for 30 days. This could include members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, other Canadian police officers, and civilians who served with the forces on peacekeeping missions.

Wearing

The medal should be worn on the left breast, suspended from the ribbon as described above, after the Special Service Medal and before United Nations medals. It should also be worn as prescribed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive.ref|wear

ee also

*List of Canadian awards
*List of Canadian provincial and territorial orders

References

* The Peacekeepers Homepage [http://www.peacekeeper.ca/cpsm.html "Background Documentation"] URL Accessed on November 18, 2005
* Directorate of History and Heritage [http://www.forces.gc.ca/hr/dhr-ddhr/chart/eng/chart_display_e.asp?cat=3&ref=CPSM&submit1=Go "Canadian Peace Keeping Service Medal (CPSM)"] URL Accessed on May 19, 2008

External links

* [http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-21.1/32576.html Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal Act]
* [http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/018-04_e.asp Canadian Forces Administrative Order 18-4 Recommendations for Canadian Orders, Decorations and Military Honours]