Topic: NDP MP introduces bill to create "Defence of Canada Medal (1946-1989)"

[milnews.ca]

This (via Hansard), from Carol Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, NDP), as she introduced Private Member's Bill C-354, An Act respecting the establishment and award of a Defence of Canada Medal (1946-1989) (summary of bill and where it's at in the process):

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to reintroduce this bill for the establishment and award of a defence of Canada medal for the men and women who served in the defence of Canada during the cold war. This act represents the hard work and vision of one of my constituents, retired Captain Ulrich Krings of Elliot Lake, who presented me with this proposal shortly after I was elected in 2008. Its purpose is to formally honour the people who defended Canada from within Canada for the period from 1946 to 1989. As such, it is intended to be awarded to individuals who served in the regular and reserve forces, police forces, emergency measures organizations, as well as civil organizations, such as St. John Ambulance, all of whom were concerned with the protection of Canada from the threat posed by the countries behind the Iron Curtain. This medal will recognize the support of the men and woman who gave countless hours to Canadians as they trained and prepared in case of an attack on Canadian soil, which fortunately never took place. Their service to our country came at a time when we became aware of how fragile peace can be and how vulnerable we may become to advances in weapons of warfare. This medal would give something back to all those who worked in those years to keep us safe and prepared. I thank my colleague from Thunder Bay—Rainy River (John Rafferty) for his continued support on this bill and for seconding this item for a second time.

Caveat:  most Private Member's Bills don't end up making it all the way through the legislative sausage machine to become law unless there's significant government support for the idea.

[Jim Seggie]

This (via Hansard), from Carol Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, NDP), as she introduced Private Member's Bill C-354, An Act respecting the establishment and award of a Defence of Canada Medal (1946-1989) (summary of bill and where it's at in the process):Caveat:  most Private Member's Bills don't end up making it all the way through the legislative sausage machine to become law unless there's significant government support for the idea.

Like we need another gong for sitting on our rucksacks.

[Tank Troll]

A guy that I know would probably like to get that one also, it would look good with his 125, QSJM, CD with clasp. We were at a mess dinner and he told his wife that yes we looked nice with all our shiny tin hanging off use but that everyone of those represented 6 months away from home. He  that felt he was gone enough with regular exercises, deploying would be just to much time away! He also thought that we should get a medal for every domestic OP we did, then he would have a rack like everyone else.

[medicineman]

A guy that I know would probably like to get that one also, it would look good with his 125, QSJM, CD with clasp. We were at a mess dinner and he told his wife that yes we looked nice with all our shiny tin hanging off use but that everyone of those represented 6 months away from home. He  that felt he was gone enough with regular exercises, deploying would be just to much time away! He also thought that we should get a medal for every domestic OP we did, then he would have a rack like everyone else.

I hope someone punched him in the throat...gott love folks that can equate a freak summer snowstorm in Wainwright with perpetual gunfights or rocket attacks or tip toeing through minefields.  Dude's either really good at rationalizing things or is totally delusional.

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Unreal.

Please take the colossal waste of money this would cost and use it to fix up war memorials across the country..........

[Tank Troll]

I hope someone punched him in the throat...gott love folks that can equate a freak summer snowstorm in Wainwright with perpetual gunfights or rocket attacks or tip toeing through minefields.  Dude's either really good at rationalizing things or is totally delusional.

We pretty much just ignored him and bladed him to the RSM everytime a crap job came up. But it was frustrating watching him go on career course while the rest of use were doing deployment training or coming back and finding that he had gone on a career course because every one else was deployed.

[dapaterson]

For those wondering "Do I qualify?":

4. (1) The Medal may be awarded by the Governor in Council to any Canadian citizen or permanent resident with a minimum cumulative period of three years of service in one or more of the following organizations during the period commencing on June 1, 1946 and ending on November 30, 1989:

  (a) the Canadian Forces and Regular Force, as well as their predecessors: the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the Canadian Army (Regular) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF);

  (b) the Canadian Forces and Reserve Force, as well as their predecessors: the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve (RCNR), the Canadian Army (Militia), the RCAF Auxiliary and the Canadian Rangers;

  (c) police services that were trained and engaged in national survival and counter-espionage;

  (d) provincial and municipal organizations whose role it was to protect the civilian population or render social and medical aid during a nuclear attack;

  (e) recognized civilian organizations that undertook National Survival Training and stood ready to apply it in case of a national emergency; and

  (f) the Canadian Coast Guard.

Source:  http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=4134825&file=4

[MCG]

Does anyone have the parody list of "new medals" that started floating around at least a decade ago?  Wasn't the first one on the list a never left Canada medal?
It looks lie someone wants the joke to be real.

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Agreed.

I don't understand why " I served, I loved it, I hated it, I got laid, I got paid, I got out" isn't enough?  I'm quite happy with it....................

[milnews.ca]

For those wondering "Do I qualify?":

4. (1) The Medal may be awarded by the Governor in Council to any Canadian citizen or permanent resident with a minimum cumulative period of three years of service in one or more of the following organizations during the period commencing on June 1, 1946 and ending on November 30, 1989:

  (a) the Canadian Forces and Regular Force, as well as their predecessors: the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the Canadian Army (Regular) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF);

  (b) the Canadian Forces and Reserve Force, as well as their predecessors: the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve (RCNR), the Canadian Army (Militia), the RCAF Auxiliary and the Canadian Rangers;

  (c) police services that were trained and engaged in national survival and counter-espionage;

  (d) provincial and municipal organizations whose role it was to protect the civilian population or render social and medical aid during a nuclear attack;

  (e) recognized civilian organizations that undertook National Survival Training and stood ready to apply it in case of a national emergency; and

  (f) the Canadian Coast Guard.

Source:  http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=4134825&file=4

Wow, that's pretty..... inclusive.

[dapaterson]

Source:  http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=4134825&file=4

Wow, that's pretty..... inclusive.

I was in the Boy Scouts in the early 80s - does that count?

[PMedMoe]

Meh, I probably won't get it until after I retire.

[milnews.ca]

I was in the Boy Scouts in the early 80s - does that count?

Did your troop do this? 

  (e) recognized civilian organizations that undertook National Survival Training and stood ready to apply it in case of a national emergency; and

[medicineman]

Meh, I probably won't get it until after I retire.

Hey, I joined the Reserves in 1986...woohoo, get to pay more money to extend my rack that only comes out on Remembrance Day now  .

My Dad still hasn't applied for his SSM from when he was in Germany in the mid 60's...now he can have a 2 fer...

MM

[Journeyman]

We'll show those Frontiersmen   

[medicineman]

We'll show those Frontiersmen   

[XMP]

Does anyone have the parody list of "new medals" that started floating around at least a decade ago?  Wasn't the first one on the list a never left Canada medal?
It looks lie someone wants the joke to be real.

Ask and ye shall recieve:

[PMedMoe]

Ask and ye shall recieve:

Love it.  According to that, I get four more.   

[Danjanou]

We'll show those Frontiersmen   

No we won't because according to the criteria they'll get it too. Knowing them they'll also create their own version as well.

Somehow I just know that this will actually pass and so will that other bit of bling the Governor Generals Volunteer Service Medal, although they wont' come out at the same time.  The reason I know is I just paid to get my medals remounted for Nov 11th and now will have to waste valuable beer money to do it again. 

[ArmyVern]

I want a "Issue me a damn chest to pin all this bling on" medal.

They'll buy a chest for boys, but none for me and that really sucks. 

[Canadian.Trucker]

What a waste of an idea.  There's always some sort of threat against Canada, so if this went through you would have people whining that there should be a medal for the period of 2001-present about the extra threat of terrorists since 9/11.  Oh, but then you need to look at 1990-2000 where there was a threat of countries destabilizing due to the Soviet Union collapsing... it goes on and on and on.

[ballz]

Ask and ye shall recieve:

The funny thing about that chart and it's "Never Left Canada" medal that was clearly meant to be a joke is that it requires 20 years of service where as the MP's suggestion only requires 3 years.

The author of that piece must be banging his head off the wall.

EDIT: to remove the huge image

[E.R. Campbell]

There's something in the water, right? A medal for showing up? I thought that's why we had the CD. Now I read that some Afghan vets want a big parade of their own.

I have a plan for the medal - in the unlikely event that an opposition private member's bill even wins the lottery* and gets debated and in the even more unlikely event that it passes I will ignore it for the reason Danjanou gave: all this new bling is a plot by the medal mounting business.

I also have a plan for the Afghan victory parade: a battery of horse drawn brass cannon (we've got two years to find the guns, train the horses and riders, etc), a guard of scarlet coated engineers (two years to raise the money for the jackets and busbys), three or four armoured and ten or twelve infantry guards, each with regimental guidons/colours and guards from all the other assorted ash and trash (two years to teach the RCAF how to do drill, too) - all standing and stamping about on Parliament Hill on a hot August day while assorted politicos bask in the reflected glory. I'll get my letter off to the MND tomorrow, he'll love it - he's the biggest publicity hound in Ottawa; he would attend the opening of an envelope if the media was coming.







... etc, etc, etc

__________
* That's how they decide which private members' bills get to first reading: they draw lots.


Edit: typo

[Danjanou]

What a waste of an idea.  There's always some sort of threat against Canada, so if this went through you would have people whining that there should be a medal for the period of 2001-present about the extra threat of terrorists since 9/11.  Oh, but then you need to look at 1990-2000 where there was a threat of countries destabilizing due to the Soviet Union collapsing... it goes on and on and on.

That's at least two more medals there plus maybe a couple of bars. My retired medal mounting guy in Scarberia is going to be shopping for a Lexus.

[ArmyVern]

LMAO Edward. Beer's on me next time.