Vol. 137, No. 13 — June 18, 2003

Registration
SI/2003-120 18 June, 2003

OTHER THAN STATUTORY AUTHORITY

Order Amending the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal Order

P.C. 2003-885 6 June, 2003

Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, hereby makes the annexed Order Amending the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal Order.

ORDER AMENDING THE CANADIAN VOLUNTEER SERVICE MEDAL ORDER

AMENDMENTS

1. Paragraphs 5(1)(k) and (l) of the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal Order (see footnote 1)  are replaced by the following:

• (j.1) to a member or a reserve constable of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Force, or a special constable of that Force engaged under the authority of Orders in Council P.C. 2484 of September 1, 1939 and P.C. 3444 of November 2, 1939, who served voluntarily on a full-time basis for a period or periods commencing during World War II and
  • (i) totalling not less than eighteen months, not including any period after March 1, 1947, and who was honourably discharged or retired from such service,
    (ii) totalling not less than six months, any part of which was served outside Canada, and who was honourably discharged or retired from such service, or
    (iii) ending on their honourable discharge or retirement by reason of an injury or disease, or an aggravation of an injury or disease, that was attributable to or was incurred during such service;
  (k) posthumously, to the survivor of any person mentioned in paragraphs (d) to (j.1) who was killed in action or died as a result of an injury or disease, or an aggravation of an injury or disease, that was attributable to or was incurred during the person's service;
  (l) posthumously, to the survivor of any person who was eligible for the Medal under any of paragraphs (a) and (c) to (j.1) but to whom the Medal was not awarded; and

2. The portion of section 6 of the Order before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

6. The following periods shall not be considered in calculating a period of service for which the Medal may be awarded under subsection 5(1):

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order.)

The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal is awarded to volunteers who served in the Canadian armed forces, merchant navy and certain other specific civilian organizations during World War II if they served for at least 18 months or served outside Canada, and were honourably discharged or had retired from that service, or were killed in action, in which case the Medal is awarded posthumously. Those who served outside Canada also receive a bar for overseas service, which is worn on the ribbon of the medal. In addition, those who served in the Battle of Dieppe on August 19, 1942, or in the Defence of Hong Kong from December 8 to 25, 1941, receive bars in recognition of those services.

This Order extends eligibility for the Medal to members and reserve constables of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police — in French, known at the time as "la Royale gendarmerie à cheval du Canada" — (RCMP), including special constables engaged under certain Orders in Council. In order to be eligible, persons in these categories had to have served voluntarily on a full-time basis for a specified period or periods commencing during World War II. These individuals served in close support of Canada's war effort.

In the early years of World War II, persons wishing to join the RCMP did so with the clear understanding that they not only were applying to join the RCMP but that they would also be performing duties supporting the war effort including volunteering to serve, if required, with the No. 1 Provost Company (RCMP) Canadian Active Service Force overseas. These additional duties also applied to persons who were already members of the Force at the beginning of the war. It should be noted that RCMP members who were granted a leave of absence in order to enlist in the Canadian Active Service Force have already received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

Footnote 1

SI/94-62

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