Canadian Honour System

[JPL]

Just came across this interesting news article.

In the latest Federal Budget, an additional 2.8M dollars has been allocated to the Governor General towards the Canadian Honour System.

This paragraph caught my attention: Some of the funds will also be spent on increasing the profile of the Meritorious Service Decorations, which are awarded for specific acts, and also the creation of new honours, although no details on those have been announced.

Read the complete article here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-s-honour-system-vital-in-age-of-instant-fame-says-governor-general-1.3047017

Jean-Paul

[TacHel]

JP, like you, I also have the SSM...  Unfortunately, mine is from the "cheap" period.  Remember?  Poorly casted and triple plated?  Even C.D.s were looking very sad.  The last SSM I court mounted for a squadron mate (late last year) was seriously nice!  It was minted and looked sooooooo superior to the one I received.  If some of those funds are to mint quality awards vice the cheap stuff we received for the past 10-15 years then more power to them!

[Mervyn Mitton]

I agree with you  -  medals and awards should never look poorly produced  -  they are your Country honouring you.

Well spotted J-P.     Mervyn

[peter monahan]

I was lucky enough to be in Ottawa last weekend for the ceremonies around the dedication of a statue to John McCrea, who wrote the famous poem 'In Flanders Fields' and was able to meet a number of senior officers, including the current and former Surgeons General of the Canadian Forces, with their various staff, ADCs and so on.  Many many sparkly orders and decorations and all looked, to me, very well made.  But perhaps, as in all other things, rank hath its privileges?

  Me in the back row, in WWI CAMC kit, next to the shiny officer [also in WWI kit].

 

Edited May 13, 2015 by peter monahan

[TacHel]

Peter, I don't think rank has anything to do with it.  Timing on the other hand does...

Like I said above, the new SSMs are minted vice cast like the one I received years ago while stationed in Germany.  The Queen's jubilee medals (50 & 60) were also minted, they look really good, but the 1992 125th anniversary of confederation medal was cast and triple plated, it looks pretty bad!  I'm happy the decision makers are once again spending a bit more for quality awards.

[Pylon1357]

TacHel, have allowances been made for you to return your SSM and be issued a new version? I know in regards to my GSM (an early Boyd Bond version), I was given the option to return it and get a newer minted one as a replacement at no charge to me. 

[peter monahan]

Pylon

That was very accomodating of the authorities!  Somebody up there must love you.

Frank

I remember the 125th medal - "piece of rubbish" as our British cousins would say!  Maybe the nice ones I saw were replacements like Python's, or the S-G and his buddies were lcuky in their timing.  Who knows.

[TacHel]

TacHel, have allowances been made for you to return your SSM and be issued a new version? I know in regards to my GSM (an early Boyd Bond version), I was given the option to return it and get a newer minted one as a replacement at no charge to me. 

​I can ask but I doubt it very much. 

[peter monahan]

I'd be very pleasantly surprised, given the current atmosphere in Ottawa, if the Forces were permitted to do anything so generous.