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Exemplary Service Medals
Background
Most countries have, as part of their honours system, some form of official award to tangibly express national
gratitude for long and commendable service, particularly in fields of endeavour involving potential risk. Canada’s
Exemplary Service Medals recognize the men and women dedicated to preserving Canada’s public safety through
long and outstanding service.
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The Police Exemplary Service Medal, created on August 12, 1983, recognizes police officers who have served
in an exemplary manner, characterized by good conduct, industry and efficiency. Recipients must have completed
20 years of full-time service with one or more recognized Canadian police forces. Full-time police cadets
in training also qualify for the award. Consideration is given only to periods of service for which no
other national long service, good conduct or efficiency decoration has been awarded.
Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Forces are ineligible. However, full-time
exemplary service of former members of the RCMP and Military Police of the Canadian Forces may qualify
where that service has not been recognized by award of the RCMP Long Service and Good Conduct Medal or
the Canadian Forces Decoration, respectively. The Medal may be awarded posthumously.
Description: a circular medal:
- on the obverse of which are the Scales of Justice, superimposed on a stylized maple leaf, and circumscribed
with EXEMPLARY SERVICE . SERVICES DISTINGUÉS, and
- on the reverse of which is the Royal Cipher
- the Medal is suspended from a ribbon of five equal stripes, two gold and three blue; a Bar, bearing
a stylized maple leaf, may be awarded to a recipient of the Medal for each additional 10-year period
of full-time service with one or more Canadian police forces.
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The Corrections Exemplary Service Medal, created on June 11, 1984, recognizes employees of the Canadian
Correctional Service who have served in an exemplary manner, characterized by good conduct, industry and
efficiency. Recipients must have been working on or after the date of creation of the Medal, and must
have completed 20 years of full-time service, not necessarily continuous, with one or more of the correctional
services in Canada.
Service of 20 years must include 10 years as a peace officer in an institution, parole officer or probation
officer, or in a capacity which has brought the recipient into contact with offenders in the regular performance
of duties.
Consideration is given only to periods of service for which no other long service, good conduct or efficiency
decoration or medal has been awarded by the Crown. Exemplary service in any other occupation eligible
for award for exemplary service may count as qualifying service. The Medal may be awarded posthumously.
Description: a circular medal:
- on the obverse of which are a crossed key and torch, superimposed on a stylized maple leaf, and circumscribed
with EXEMPLARY SERVICE . SERVICES DISTINGUÉS, and
- on the reverse of which is the Royal Cipher
- the Medal is suspended from a ribbon of five equal stripes, two gold and three green; a Bar, bearing
a stylized maple leaf, may be awarded to a recipient of the Medal for each additional 10-year period
of full-time service with one or more correctional services in Canada
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The Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal, created on August 29, 1985, honours members of a recognized
Canadian fire service who have completed 20 years of service, ten years of which have been served in the
performance of duties involving potential risks, and were employed on or after the date of creation of
the Medal. Recognized fire services include Canadian fire departments, fire marshals’ offices, fire
commissioners’ offices and the Canadian Forces fire services. Exemplary service is characterized
by good conduct, industry and efficiency.
Consideration is given only to periods of service for which no other long service, good conduct or efficiency
decoration or medal has been awarded by the Crown. The Medal may be awarded posthumously.
Description: a circular medal:
- on the obverse of which is a stylized maple leaf bearing a fire hydrant with crossed axes, upon which
a Maltese cross is centred, and which is circumscribed with EXEMPLARY SERVICE . SERVICES DISTINGUÉS,
and
- on the reverse of which is the Royal Cipher
- the Medal is suspended from a ribbon of five equal stripes, two gold and three red; a Bar, bearing
a stylized maple leaf, may be awarded to a recipient of the Medal for each additional 10-year period
of service in the Canadian fire service.
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The Canadian Coast Guard Exemplary Service Medal, created on March 14, 1991, recognizes employees who
have completed 20 years of service with an approved occupational group of the Canadian Coast Guard or
with an organization supporting the Coast Guard, 10 years of which have been served in the performance
of duties involving potential risk. Recipients must have worked on or after October 25, 1990. Exemplary
service is characterized by good conduct, industry and efficiency.
Consideration is given only to periods of service for which no other long service, good conduct or efficiency
decoration or medal has been awarded by the Crown. Unrecognized service in a profession whose members
are eligible to be awarded another exemplary service medal by the Crown may count as service for the award
of the Medal, when the requirement for 10 years of service is met. The Medal may be awarded posthumously.
Description: a circular medal:
- on the obverse of which is the crest of the Canadian Coast Guard, circumscribed with EXEMPLARY SERVICE
. SERVICES DISTINGUÉS, and
- on the reverse of which is the Royal Cipher,
- the Medal is suspended from a blue ribbon that has a narrow white stripe in the centre, and a broader
gold stripe near each edge; a Bar, bearing a stylized maple leaf, may be awarded to a recipient of the
Medal for each additional 10-year period of service with the Canadian Coast Guard or an organization
supporting the Coast Guard.
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The Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal, created on July 7, 1994, recognizes professionals
in the provision of pre-hospital emergency medical services to the public, who have performed their duties
in an exemplary manner, characterized by good conduct, industry and efficiency.
Recipients must have been employed with emergency medical services on or after October 31, 1991, and
have completed 20 years of exemplary service, including at least 10 years in the performance of duties
involving potential risk. Those with at least 10 years of service with emergency medical services may
include, in the 20 years of service, service completed in another profession, provided this service has
not been recognized by another long service, good conduct or efficiency decoration or medal awarded by
the Crown. The Medal may be awarded posthumously.
Description: a circular medal:
- on the obverse of which is the Star of Life, superimposed on a maple leaf, and circumscribed with
EXEMPLARY SERVICE . SERVICES DISTINGUÉS, and
- on the reverse of which is the Royal Cipher
- the Medal is suspended from a blue ribbon with two stripes of gold 6 mm in width, equally spaced,
and three stripes of Philadelphia orange 2.3 mm in width, centred on the blue areas of the ribbon; a
Bar with a stylized maple leaf may be awarded to a recipient of the Medal for each additional 10-year
period of service with emergency medical services
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The Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal, created on June 22, 2004, recognizes peace officers who have
served in an exemplary manner, characterized by good conduct, industry and efficiency.
Recipients must have completed 20 years of exemplary service with one or more of the following organizations:
the Canada Border Services Agency; the Departments of Citizenship and Immigration, Environment, Fisheries
and Oceans; the Parks Canada Agency; or any other organization that employs peace officers and that is
deemed eligible by the Advisory Committee.
Recipients must have been employed as peace officers on or after September 22, 1998, and have completed
20 years of exemplary service, including at least 10 years served in the performance of duties involving
potential risk. The Medal may be awarded posthumously.
Description:
- The Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal consists of a circular medal, with a shield set on a star
on a maple leaf. The words "Exemplary Service — Services distingués" form a circle
around the maple leaf. On the back of the medal appears Her Majesty's Cipher.
- A bar may be awarded for every subsequent period of 10 years of qualifying service.
- The Medal is suspended by a ribbon featuring a band of dark blue at the outer edge, flanked by a
narrower band of light blue and then a band of gold with a single wide band of green at the centre.
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Wearing: as prescribed in the protocol for Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals (http://www.gg.ca/honours/pdf/wearing_e.pdf)
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