View source for Meritorious Service Medal (Canada)

{{About|the Canadian medal|similarly named decorations|Meritorious Service Medal (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox Military Award
|name          = Meritorious Service Medal
|image         = MSM-cut.png
|image_size    = 180px
|caption       = [[Obverse]] of the medal
|presenter     = The [[monarch of Canada]]<br/>[[File:Arms of Canada (shield).svg|center|30px]]
|type          = [[State decoration]]
|eligibility   = 
|awarded_for   = An action performed in an outstanding manner that brings great benefit or honour to the [[Canadian Forces]] or to [[Canada]].
|status        = Currently awarded
|description   =
|clasps        =
|post-nominals = MSM
|established   = 6 June 1991
|firstawarded   =
|lastawarded    =
|total_awarded         = 647
|total_awarded_posthumously    =
|total_recipients    =
|individual    =
|higher        = [[Medal of Bravery (Canada)|Medal of Bravery]]
|same          =
|lower         = [[Royal Victorian Medal]]
|image2        = [[File:CAN Meritorious Service Medal (military division) BAR.svg|110px]] [[File:CAN Meritorious Service Medal w-Bar (military division) BAR.svg|110px]]<br><br>[[File:CAN Meritorious Service Medal (civil division) BAR.svg|110px]] [[File:CAN Meritorious Service Medal w-Bar (civil division) BAR.svg|110px]]
|caption2      = [[Ribbon bar]]s of the Meritorious Service Medal<br>(MSM with Bar on right);<br>military division at top, civil division at bottom
}}

The '''Meritorious Service Medal''' ({{langx|fr|Médaille du service méritoire}}) is a [[State decoration|decoration]] that is, within the [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|Canadian system of honours]], one of the two [[Meritorious Service Decoration]]s gifted by the [[Monarchy of Canada|Canadian monarch]], through the [[Governor General of Canada|Governor]]-[[Queen-in-Council|in-Council]]. Created in 1991, the medal is intended to recognize individuals—both Canadian and foreign—who have carried out meritorious acts bringing benefit and honour in either of two categories: military and civilian.<ref name=GG>{{cite web| url=http://archive.gg.ca/honours/decorations/msd/index_e.asp| last=Office of the Governor General of Canada| authorlink=Governor General of Canada| title=Honours > Decorations > Meritorious Service Decorations| publisher=[[Queen's Printer for Canada]]| accessdate=27 August 2009}}</ref><ref name=VAC>{{cite web| url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group02/msc| last=Veterans Affairs Canada| authorlink=Veterans Affairs Canada| title=Canada Remembers > Records & Collections > Canadian Orders, Medals and Decorations > Canadian Military Medals and Decorations > Modern Honours of Canada > Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil and Military)| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=27 August 2009}}</ref> Award of the medal grants recipients the ability to use the [[post-nominal letters]] ''MSM''.

==Design==
The Meritorious Service Medal, for both divisions, is in the form of a circular, [[Sterling silver|silver]] [[Disk (mathematics)|disc]] with, on the obverse, a raised [[Cross#Emblems|Greek cross]], the ends splayed and rounded, a [[laurel wreath]] visible between them, and a [[St. Edward's Crown]], as a symbol of the [[Monarchy of Canada|Canadian monarch]]'s role as the [[fount of honour]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/hon/nat-honour-honneur/index-eng.htm |last=Royal Canadian Mounted Police |title=Honours and Recognition Programs > Canadian National Honours |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |accessdate=20 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323114038/http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/hon/nat-honour-honneur/index-eng.htm |archivedate=23 March 2009 }}</ref> capping the top arm beyond the circumference of the medal. At the cross' centre is a roundel bearing a maple leaf, and on the reverse is two concentric circles, the inner one containing an etched [[Royal Cypher]] of the reigning monarch and [[Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces]], and the outer one engraved with the words ''MERITORIOUS SERVICE MÉRITOIRE''.<ref name=GG />

This medallion is worn on the left chest, on a {{convert|31.8|mm|in}} wide, blue and white ribbon; however, that for the military division has only four white stripes, paired and centred on the outer third of each side of the ribbon, while that for the civilian division has an additional 1mm wide white stripe centred between the other four. For men, the cross is hung from a bar, and for women, on a ribbon bow, both pinned to the left chest.<ref name=GG /> Should an individual already possessing a Meritorious Service Medal be awarded the medal again, he or she is granted a [[medal bar]], in silver and bearing a central maple leaf, for wear on the ribbon from which the original medal is suspended.<ref name=VAC />

==Eligibility and receipt==
On 6 June 1991,<ref name=VAC /> Queen [[Elizabeth II]], on the advice of her [[Cabinet of Canada|Cabinet]] under [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Brian Mulroney]], created the Meritorious Service Medal to recognize highly professional acts that are of considerable benefit, to the [[Canadian Forces]] by military personnel, and to the nation by civilians.<ref name=GG /> Any person, living or deceased, may be nominated for the medal: the military division is awarded to members of the Canadian Forces, or of any foreign military allied with Canada, and nominations come from commanding officers; the civilian division is open to both Canadians and foreigners, and nominations may be submitted by any person.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://archive.gg.ca/honours/decorations/msd/msd-info_e.asp| last=Office of the Governor General of Canada| authorlink=Governor General of Canada| title=Honours > Decorations > Meritorious Service Decorations > Eligibility and Nominations| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=28 August 2009}}</ref> In all cases, however, the event being recognized must have taken place in Canada or involved Canadian citizens.

As of August 2009, the Meritorious Service Medal has been presented to 568 people—279 in the military division and 289 in the civilian<ref>{{cite web| url=http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/index_e.asp?results=1&Firstname=&Middlename=&Lastname=&City=&Province=&TypeID=msd&Division=mil&Honours=Medal&AwardStart=&AwardEnd=&npp=25| last=Office of the Governor General of Canada| authorlink=Governor General of Canada| title=Honours > Decorations > Decorations for Bravery > Search: Meritorious Service Decorations Recipients List > Division: Military, Level: Medal| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=27 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/index_e.asp?results=1&Firstname=&Middlename=&Lastname=&City=&Province=&TypeID=msd&Division=civ&Honours=Medal&AwardStart=&AwardEnd=&npp=25| last=Office of the Governor General of Canada| authorlink=Governor General of Canada| title=Honours > Decorations > Decorations for Bravery > Search: Meritorious Service Decorations Recipients List > Division: Civilian, Level: Medal| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=27 August 2009}}</ref>—all of whom are permitted to use the [[post-nominal letters]] ''MSM''.

==See also==
* [[Meritorious Service Cross]]
* [[Canadian order of precedence (decorations and medals)]]
* [[State decoration]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Canadian Honours System}}

[[Category:Military awards and decorations of Canada]]
[[Category:Civil awards and decorations of Canada]]
[[Category:Long and Meritorious Service Medals of Britain and the Commonwealth]]