Summary#
This bill creates a national medal to recognize people who helped during domestic emergency relief operations in Canada. It covers current and former members of the Canadian Forces and RCMP, as well as firefighters and first responders. The medal can be given once per person, with extra bars for multiple operations. Cabinet sets the design, which operations qualify, and detailed rules.
- Creates the Special Service Medal for Domestic Emergency Relief Operations (Medal Establishment).
- Eligibility requires at least 7 days of service in a Cabinet‑designated domestic emergency relief operation (Award of Medal (1)).
- One medal per person; additional bars for multiple operations (Award of Medal (2)).
- Posthumous awards are allowed and may be presented to a person chosen by the nominating minister (Posthumous award).
- Federal ministers nominate eligible people; provincial ministers may recommend firefighters and first responders (Nomination and Recommendation provisions).
- Cabinet may set exclusions and detailed qualifications by regulation (Regulations).
What it means for you#
- Households
- If a family member died, the medal can be awarded posthumously. It will be presented to the person the nominating minister sees as best suited to receive it (Posthumous award).
- Workers (Canadian Forces and RCMP, current and former)
- You may receive the medal if you served at least 7 days in a domestic emergency relief operation that Cabinet has designated and your minister nominates you (Award of Medal (1); Nomination — Minister of National Defence; Nomination — Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness).
- You can receive the medal only once, but you may receive additional bars for other designated operations (Award of Medal (2)).
- Workers (firefighters and first responders, current and former)
- You may be recognized if you served at least 7 days in a designated domestic emergency relief operation and a provincial minister recommends you to the federal Minister of Public Safety for nomination (Award of Medal (1); Recommendation — provincial minister).
- Veterans and former members
- Former members of the listed groups are eligible under the same rules if their service fits a designated operation (Award of Medal (1)).
- Businesses and service users
- No direct impact on business operations or public services. This is an honours and recognition measure (Medal Establishment; Wearing of Medal).
- Governments and agencies
- Federal departments will manage nominations and records. Provincial ministers may set processes to identify and recommend eligible firefighters and first responders (Nomination and Recommendation provisions).
- The medal’s order of precedence follows the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive, 1998 (Wearing of Medal).
Timing note: Awards depend on Cabinet designating qualifying operations and setting any regulations on eligibility and exclusions (Regulations; Award of Medal).
Expenses#
Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.
- The bill contains no appropriations or specific funding levels (Bill text).
- Government will incur costs to design the medal and ribbon, process nominations, and produce and present medals and bars. Data unavailable (Design of Medal; Award of Medal; Nomination provisions).
- No fee or revenue changes are specified (Bill text).
Proponents' View#
- Provides national recognition for people who serve during domestic emergencies, across military, police, firefighters, and first responders (Award of Medal (1)).
- Sets clear baseline criteria (at least 7 days of service) and a simple structure for multiple operations via bars, which can help consistent application (Award of Medal (1)-(2)).
- Allows recognition of former members and posthumous awards, ensuring past and fallen contributors can be honoured (Award of Medal (1); Posthumous award).
- Uses existing honours framework for how the medal is worn, which avoids disrupting the current system (Wearing of Medal).
- Lets Cabinet define qualifying operations and detailed rules, allowing targeted recognition and preventing over‑broad awards (Regulations; Award of Medal).
Assumptions to note: Claims about morale, retention, or recruitment benefits are not measured in the bill. Data unavailable.
Opponents' View#
- No cost estimate or funding plan; creating, administering, and awarding medals may add ongoing federal and provincial administrative costs (Bill text; Data unavailable).
- The 7‑day threshold may exclude responders who made significant contributions during shorter deployments, raising fairness concerns (Award of Medal (1)).
- Heavy reliance on Cabinet to designate operations and set exclusions could lead to uneven or politicized recognition over time (Award of Medal; Regulations).
- Overlap risk with existing honours could cause confusion for recipients and the public; the bill does not explain how this interacts with current medals. Data unavailable.
- Single‑award structure with bars may be seen as under‑recognizing repeated, high‑risk service if bars carry less public visibility than full medals (Award of Medal (2)).
Assumptions to note: Administrative burden and overlap concerns depend on how regulations are written and which operations are designated. Data unavailable.