432-00952 (Veterans' affairs)

We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:

Whereas:

• At one time the Government of Canada issued "The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal" (CVSM), a Volunteer Service Medal to recognize Canadians who served voluntarily for a minimum of 547 days or 18 months of uninterrupted service in the Canadian Forces, voluntary service from 3 September 1939 to 1 March 1947; and
• Since the cessation of the CVSM on the 1st of March 1947, there does not exist any formal medal to maintain the inclusiveness, recognition and tradition of honouring Canada's Veterans that have honourably served since the end of WWII; and
• There does not exist a Canadian Forces Service Medal to honour our Cold War Veterans, and Veterans that have honourably served during the past seven and a half decades; and
• The Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD) is "a long service medal" for 12 years of good conduct, the CD does not cover volunteer service, the CD does not cover service for the Cold War and the CD does not cover shorter periods of honourable service where Canada's Veterans with conviction did serve for a period of time of not less than 547 days or 18 months and even today are serving honourably; and
• The creation of a Canadian Forces Service Medal would bring about dignity, recognition and acknowledgment and inclusiveness of our Veterans and our Troops, and
• Should the government elect to honour and indicate specific events by means of a bar or clasp, such as was done for the Hong Kong Bar, the Dieppe Bar and the Bomber Command Bar, all worn on the CVSM;
• With the cessation of the CVSM on the 1st of March 1947 there no longer exists a Canadian Forces Medal where such possible future bars could be affixed, the introduction of a Canadian Forces Military Service Medal would serve this purpose; and
• For our government to honour these Veterans, by the creation of a Canadian Forces Service Medal, it would be of integrity and inclusiveness for those men and woman that have served our nation, thus becoming a great part of the continuing tradition and heritage of recognizing our Veterans and a national legacy for those who have honourably served in the Canadian Forces since the end of World War II,

THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to recognize the service by Canadians in the Regular Forces, Reserve Military Forces, and others whom have taken oath and swore to defend our nation and who have completed 547 days or 18 months of uninterrupted honourable duty in the service of their country Canada, since September 2nd, 1945, to the present day and in perpetuity, by means of creating and issuing a new "Canadian Military Service Medal" (CMSM), to be designated "The Canadian Military Service Medal".