Q. Who is eligible for the medal?
The CPSM will recognize service by Canadians deployed outside Canada for a minimum of 30 days (not necessarily consecutively) either on the strength of a unit of the Canadian Forces deployed on a peacekeeping or observer mission, or in direct support of any such mission. This will include members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, other Canadian police officers, and civilians who served with such forces. The CPSM will also be awarded to the next-of-kin of those individuals who have died, either on service or after their release from government service.
As the CPSM is a peacekeeping medal, certain service will not qualify an individual to receive it. This includes the following operations of conflicts (see the CPSM section for more details including the Eligibility List):
- Service in Korea from 27 June 1950 to 27 July 1953;
- Service in the Arabian Gulf from 2 August 1990 to 27 June 1991;
- Somalia Operation DELIVERANCE from 16 November 1992 to 30 June 1993;
- Humanitarian missions as described in A-AD-200-000/AG -00 1999-01-04
- NATO air strikes -Operation ALLIED FORCE carried out against the Federal republic of Yugoslavia from 24 March - 10 June 1999;
Holders of the PEACE Bar to the Canadian Special Service Medal, and individuals who have served on most United Nations and international peacekeeping missions, are considered eligible for the CPSM. Those who do not hold any specific medals may also qualify, if they can show that they have supported such missions in theatre for a minimum of 30 days, not necessarily consecutively. The CPSM will be issued without bars or numbers, and will also be issued for future missions. Therefore, other missions will be added to the list of qualifying service as Canada accepts them.
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Q. Are all peacekeeping missions included? Are any missions excluded?
All United Nations and international peacekeeping missions conducted under Chapter VI of the United Nation Charter qualify for the CPSM.
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Q. Is this medal specifically for United Nations service. What about missions such as the Multinational Force and Observers Group in the Sinai (MFO)? Does NATO peacekeeping operations in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Kosovo qualify?
There are a large number of international peacekeeping and observer missions that qualify for the award of the CPSM. A number of international missions are pending approval by the Government of Canada. A complete Mission Eligibilty list can be found on the Directorate of History and Heritage's D-NET site (follow the Honours and Awards link to the CPSM section). These missions are summarized as follows:
ECMMY/European Community Monitor Mission Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (08 Sept 91 - 11 May 92, 15 Dec 91, 12 May 92 - 19 Dec 95)
ICCS/International Commission of Control & Supervision
Vietnam (28 Jan 73 - 31 Jul 73)
ICSC/International Commission for Supervision & Control
Indo-China (Aug 54 - Jun 74)
IFOR/NATO Implementation Force
Former Yugoslavia (Dec 95 - Dec 96)
MFO/Multinational Forces & Observers
Sinai (25 Apr 82 - present)
SFOR/NATO Stabilization Force
Former Republic of Yugoslavia (Dec 96 - present)
KFOR/NATO Kosovo Force
Former Republic of Yugoslavia (1999 - present)
CECOG/Commonwealth Election Commission Observer
Rhodesia/Zimbabwe (02 Feb 80 - 13 Mar 80)
DOMREP/Mission of the Representative of the Secretary-General
Dominican Republic (14 May 65 - 22 Oct 66)
MACTP/Mine Awareness & Clearance Training Program
Pakistan (15 Mar 89 - 29 Mar 90)
MIF/Multinational Interdiction Force
Arabian Gulf (Jan 92 to present)
OTN/Observer Team Nigeria
Nigeria (Sep 68 - Feb 70)
OSCE/Organization for Security & Co-operation in Europe - Various missions
OSGAP/Office of Secretary General
Afghanistan/Pakistan ((Mar 90 - Dec 92)
UNCMAC/United Nations Military Armistice Commission
Korea (Jul 54 to Present)
UNSCOM/United Nations Special Commission (on Destruction of Iraqi NBC Weapons and Facilities)
Iraq (Apr 91 - present)
UNTCOK/United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea
Korea (Nov 47 - Jun 50)
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Q. How many people will receive the medal?
National Defence estimates that nearly 125,000 Canadians might be eligible to receive this award. The vast majority of recipients (over 85 %) will be former members of the Canadian Forces, with serving members making up between 10 and 12 % or approximately 35,000. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police anticipate that between 1,400 and 1,500 police officers will be awarded the CPSM. DFAIT has estimated that between 4,000 and 5,000 civilians might also be eligible.
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Q. What is the symbolism of the medal?
The medal's obverse features the three Canadian Peacekeeper figures that top the Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa. One is an unarmed UN Military Observer, holding a pair of binoculars. A second soldier, a woman, shoulders a radio, while the third stands guard with a C7 rifle. Above them flies a dove, the international symbol of peace. This side of the medal also bears the inscriptions PEACEKEEPING and SERVICE DE LA PAIX, 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.
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Q. What is the symbolism of the ribbon?
The medal's ribbon consists of four colours: green, red, white and United Nations blue. The green represents volunteerism; the red and white are the colours of Canada's flag; while the white and blue represent the UN, under whose auspices the majority of peacekeeping missions have taken place. The red and white carry additional meaning. White is associated with purity, and peacekeeping is one of mankind's highest ideals. Red is symbolic of the blood shed by Canada's 113 fallen peacekeepers.
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Q. How much will this medal program cost?
The entire CPSM program is projected to cost approximately $3.2 million dollars over five years. This sum will be expended almost entirely in Canada. The medal will be manufactured in Canada.
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Q. Given the number of recipients, how will presentations be made?
The exact details on how the medal will be presented to each recipient is now being worked out. We anticipate that for serving members of the Canadian Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and members of other Canadian police forces, the CPSM will be presented by senior officers of the appropriate force. The project office is arranging to have presentations made by a number of veterans' associations, such as the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping, the Royal Canadian Legion, and the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association. In the case of civilian recipients, presentations will be conducted through the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). A full list of sponsors can be obtained by contacting the CPSM project office at 1-877-741 8333 (990-4446)
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Q. If I qualify for the medal, but cannot attend a parade or presentation, how can I get my medal?
In the event that a recipient is unable to attend a formal presentation ceremony, the medal will be awarded in a private ceremony arranged by the project office in Ottawa.
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Q. Who will decide on eligibility, the Department of National Defence? What if I am a civilian?
The Department of External Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) is responsible for validating requests from civilian applicants. The department will perform this task with the assistance of the United Nations and other organizations that the recipient might identify on his application form.
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Q. For eligible recipients who have passed away since their qualifying service, will medals be awarded posthumously? What will be the procedure?
The Government of Canada has directed that the CPSM is to be awarded posthumously. A spouse, next-of-kin, or a third party may complete an application form on behalf of a deceased peacekeeper. The CPSM will be sent to a sponsor identified by the next of kin for presentation.
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Q. Why is the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal only awarded to individuals who served in Korea after 27 July 1953 or before 1950 (the armistice was signed in P'anmunjom, Korea, on 27 July 1953)?
The Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal is awarded to recognize participation in peacekeeping/observer missions. Individuals who hold medals recognizing war or other types of foreign service will not be awarded with the Peacekeeping Service Medal for that same service. This applies to such medals as the Canadian Gulf War Medal and the Canadian Somalia Medal. That being said, the Director History and Heritage at National Defence Headquarters has investigated the circumstances surrounding the eligibility of Korean veterans to receive the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal. The Department of National Defence has provided the following guidance.
United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTOK)
Members of this mission will receive the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal. UNTOK was the first mission involving military personnel serving with the United Nations. The Commission was established on 14 November 1947 to oversee the withdrawal of the occupation forces from Korea after the Second World War. Its mandate included supervising the first free elections in this region. The process was successful in South Korea, but the North refused to accept the outcome of the elections. The Commission was dissolved on 25 June 1950, when North Korean forces invaded South Korea. No medal was struck by the United Nations to commemorate the work of this commission; however all former Canadian Force members of this commission qualify for the Special Service Medal with PEACE Bar.
United Nations Service Medal
Individuals who were issued this medal for service from 27 June 1950 to 27 July 1953 will not receive the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal. The UN Service Medal is the senior UN medal, and was issued to commemorate service in the Korean War, from 27 June 1950 to 27 July 1953. However, although the war ended with the signing of the armistice in P'anmunjom, on 27 July 1953, the UN Service Medal continued to be issued for another year until 27 July 1954.
National Defence Headquarters has determined that Korean veterans will be eligible to receive the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal if they served in Korea for 30 days after 27 July 1953, the date the armistice was signed.
United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC)
Members of this mission, serving from 27 July 1953, will receive the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal. UNCMAC was established after the signing of the armistice in P'anmunjom on 27 July 1953, and continues to operate to this day. Like UNTCOK, no medal was issued for this Commission; however all Canadian Force members of this commission qualify for the Special Service Medal with PEACE Bar.
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Q. What is the definition of the term "peacekeeping"?
In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, peacekeeping is defined as:
"The prevention, containment, moderation and termination of hostilities between or within states through an impartial third-party intervention organized and directed internationally for restoring and maintaining peace. This is conducted using military forces, police and civilians, and usually with the consent of the main belligerents."
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Q. Why are the participants of United Nations and other international relief or humanitarian operations not eligible for the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal?
The intention of the Government of Canada is to recognize peacekeeping service as defined by the Charter of the United Nations. The term "peacekeeping" is embodied in Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations (See Answer 14). Canadians routinely participate in many other very worthwhile international endeavors such as humanitarian relief, disease prevention and treatment, agricultural research and development, election reform and monitoring, foreign development and education assistance, just to name a very few. The Government of Canada and the United Nations do not consider any of these activities as peacekeeping service. Recognition for these types of services exists under other programs in the National Honour System such as the Order of Canada, Meritorious Service Decoration and the Caring Canadian Award.
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Q. I am a former member of the Canadian Forces or a Canadian citizen who has served on a peacekeeping mission. How can I apply for the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal?
A former member of the Canadian Forces or civilian can apply for the CPSM ONLINE via the Internet on the Directorate of History and Heritage's D-NET site (follow the Honours and Awards link to the Online Application Forms section) or by mailing an application form to the address provided. An application form can be obtained from the CPSM Project Office by telephoning Toll Free 1-877 741 8333 (990-4446) or (613) 990 4446 or by facsimile (613) 990-6289.
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