Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present a petition on behalf of a number of constituents from my riding and from the surrounding area.
The petitioners ask the government to introduce a new volunteer service medal award, to be known as the Governor General's volunteer service medal, to acknowledge and recognize volunteerism by Canadian troops.
They point out that during the period of September 1939 to March 1947 and also from June 1950 to 1954, Canadians who served our country received a Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. They ask the government to respectfully recognize this by means of the issuance of a new Canadian volunteer service medal, to be designated the Governor General's volunteer service medal, for those who have served since March 2, 1947. This would be for volunteer service by Canadians in the regular and reserve military forces and cadet corps support staff who were not eligible for the aforementioned medals and who have completed 365 days of uninterrupted honourable duty in the service of their country.