Annex Q – The Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal

Introduction

  1. The Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal (CPSM) created on 21 October 1999, recognizes peacekeeping service performed by Canadian citizens who have served with a peacekeeping/observer mission(s) for a minimum of 30 days accumulated service. The medal represents peacekeeping service performed with a force under the auspices of the UN or with another international force.
  2. The Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal Act and the Order in Council establishing this medal are reproduced at Annex Q, Appendix 1.

Top of page

Qualifying dates, theatre boundaries

  1. The CPSM recognizes service in approved peacekeeping missions since 1948.
  2. The CPSM is awarded in accordance with the CPSM Act and Regulations “to any Canadian citizen who serves at the initiative, by the nomination or with the agreement of the GC, with such a force.” (Annex Q, Appendix 1.)
  3. Eligible and non-eligible missions for the CPSM are listed at Annex Q, Appendices 2 and 3.
  4. Peacekeeping missions that qualify for award of the CPSM will be carried out under the auspices of the UN, or with another international force, and the belligerents who agree to a peace-support deployment must also agree to participation by the Canadian Forces (CF). The types of missions to be included are support of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and post-conflict peace-building, and sanctions monitoring missions and monitoring no-fly zones (i.e. observing and noting violations but not attempting enforcement).
  5. Peace enforcement operations including, but not limited to, sanctions enforcement operations, maritime interdictions/embargos, and enforcing no-fly zones (up to and including the shooting down of planes in violation, bombing radar stations and anti-aircraft facilities that provide protection to violators, etc.) are not eligible for the CPSM.
  6. Further to the adoption of the preceding definition of “Peacekeeping” for the purpose of this Medal, to ensure the awards respect the spirit and intent of the CPSM as per the Act, a broad review was conducted of the eligibility list to ensure all missions conformed with the new definition and therefore the intent of the CPSM Act. As a result, some missions were added to the list, others deleted. It was agreed that CPSMs already issued for deleted missions were not going to be rescinded but that no more medals (initial issue or replacement) will be issued based on that service.
  7. As per the Act, a person must be serving in an approved mission either at the initiative, by the nomination or with the agreement of the GC defined as:
    1. At the initiative: deployed and paid for by the GC such as CF personnel, sworn police officers, civil servants, employees of Crown agencies, government contractors, etc;
    2. By the nomination: when the person is not necessarily in the employ of the Crown but the person’s name was provided to an agency by the GC such as when the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is providing names of qualified Canadians to the UN, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), etc, to perform certain specialized tasks in the employ of these international organizations; or
    3. With the agreement: when the GC does not deploy the person or pay them but has agreed specifically to them taking part on the peacekeeping service such as a civil servant being given leave without pay with the understanding that the person is taking the leave to deploy for the UN, OSCE, etc. in a peacekeeping mission.
  8. The direct link must be clear and substantiated with documents (contract, letters for leave without pay, documents from the GC providing names to an outside agency, etc.) Refer also to Proof of Service in Chapter 4.
  9. Canadians serving as volunteers on their own initiative or employed by international bodies in peacekeeping areas are not eligible.
  10. Service provided from Canada or from a location outside the peacekeeping mission area is not considered eligible for the CPSM.
  11. Award of the Special Service Medal (SSM) with PEACE Bar, UN or NATO service medals, does not automatically entitle an individual to the CPSM.

Top of page

Eligible personnel

  1. An individual must have performed honourable service in order to be eligible for this medal. (Refer to Chapter 4, paragraphs 67 to 97)
  2. For the purposes of awarding the CPSM, the phrase “serving with a peacekeeping/observer mission” shall be interpreted in its broader sense as opposed to a strict military sense meaning that, any Canadian citizen providing support, while not specifically under the chain of command, may still meet the intended meaning of “serving with”, provided there is a link with an approved peacekeeping mission (such as providing support to it by flying in supplies, providing administrative support from within the theatre, etc.).
  3. An individual must have served either on the strength of an authorized unit of the CF sent on an international peacekeeping/observer mission, or have provided direct support to such a mission in the mission area. Service in a supporting activity must be performed in the peacekeeping area. These supporting activities may include TAVs, local administration or the delivery of aid, medical assistance or election assistance.
  4. Personnel representing a civilian firm carrying out work under the terms of a GC contract in a peacekeeping area, for example, civilian personnel representing a defence contractor who are carrying out work such as vehicle modifications, communication installation or computer upgrade program under a contract to the DND or some other Government department, would be eligible.
  5. CF personnel must serve on duty as an assigned member of a unit deployed to a peacekeeping mission and serve under the command of the UN or an international force.
  6. CF members on exchange or on loan with an allied force may be awarded the CPSM.

Non-eligibility

  1. A member of an allied country on exchange or loan with the CF is not eligible for the CPSM as it can only be awarded to a Canadian citizen.
  2. Personnel conducting normal duty which is not mission-related are excluded from eligibility (refer to Chapter 4, paragraph 12)

Top of page

Medal description

  1. The three figures on the obverse of the medal are those depicted on the top of the Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa which was officially dedicated in 1989. The three figures show an unarmed observer and two CF soldiers. Above them flies a dove. The obverse also bears the words “PEACEKEEPING” and “SERVICE DE LA PAIX” and two maple leaves. The reverse shows the Queen’s Cypher superimposed on a maple leaf surrounded by two sprigs of laurel and the word “CANADA”.
  2. The CPSM ribbon is 32 mm in width and its centre is a light blue stripe, 8 mm in width, flanked on each side by a 4 mm wide white stripe, a 4 mm wide red stripe and edged with a 4 mm wide green stripe.

Bars

  1. There is no bar to this medal.

Top of page

Page details

Date modified: