Canadian honours order of wearing

The following is the Canadian order of precedence for decorations and medals in the Canadian Honours System. Where applicable, post-nominal letters are indicated.

Awards of valour

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RibbonHonourPost-nominal letters
Recipient of the Victoria CrossVC
Recipient of the Cross of ValourCV

National orders

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RibbonHonourPost-nominal letters
Member of the Order of MeritOM
Companion of the Order of CanadaCC
Officer of the Order of CanadaOC
Member of the Order of CanadaCM
Commander of the Order of Military MeritCMM
Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police ForcesCOM
Commander of the Royal Victorian OrderCVO
Officer of the Order of Military MeritOMM
Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police ForcesOOM
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian OrderLVO
Member of the Order of Military MeritMMM
Member of the Order of Merit of the Police ForcesMOM
Member of the Royal Victorian OrderMVO
Bailiff/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. JohnGCStJ[n 1]
Knight/Dame of the Order of St. JohnKStJ/DStJ[n 1]
Commander of the Order of St. JohnCStJ[n 1]
Officer of the Order of St. JohnOStJ[n 1]
Member of the Order of St. JohnMStJ[n 1]
  1. ^ a b c d e Postnominal letters for this order are only used within the order itself.

Provincial orders

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RibbonHonourPost-nominal letters
Grand Officer of the National Order of QuebecGOQ
Officer of the National Order of QuebecOQ
Knight of the National Order of QuebecCQ
Member of the Saskatchewan Order of MeritSOM
Member of the Order of OntarioOOnt
Member of the Order of British ColumbiaOBC
Member of the Alberta Order of ExcellenceAOE
Member of the Order of Prince Edward IslandOPEI
Member of the Order of ManitobaOM
Member of the Order of New BrunswickONB
Member of the Order of Nova ScotiaONS
Member of the Order of Newfoundland and LabradorONL

Territorial orders

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RibbonHonourPost-nominal letters
Member of the Order of NunavutONu
Member of the Order of the Northwest TerritoriesONWT
Member of the Order of YukonOY

National decorations

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RibbonHonourPost-nominal letters
Recipient of the Star of Military ValourSMV
Recipient of the Star of CourageSC
Recipient of the Meritorious Service Cross (military division)MSC
Recipient of the Meritorious Service Cross (civilian division)MSC
Recipient of the Medal of Military ValourMMV
Recipient of the Medal of BraveryMB
Recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal (military division)MSM
Recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal (civil division)MSM
Recipient of the Royal Victorian MedalRVM

National decorations not included in order of precedence

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The Royal Victorian Chain a personal award of the monarch that is of high status, but does not confer on the recipient any title or post-nominal letters, nor is it included in the order-in-council setting out the order of precedence for the wear of honours, decorations, and medals.

RibbonHonourPost-nominal letters
Recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain

National medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Sacrifice Medal

National medals not included in order of precedence

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Certain national medals are recognized as a part of the Canadian honours system but are not included in the Order in Council that sets out the precedence of honours, decorations, and medals in Canada.

RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Memorial Cross

War and operational service medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Korea Medal
Recipient of the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea
Recipient of the Gulf and Kuwait Medal
Recipient of the Somalia Medal
Recipient of the South-West Asia Service Medal
Recipient of the General Campaign Star
  • Allied Force
  • South-West Asia
  • Expedition
Recipient of the General Service Medal
  • Allied Force
  • South-West Asia
  • Expedition
Recipient of the Operational Service Medal
  • Expedition

Special service medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Special Service Medal with Bars[n 1]
  • Pakistan 1989-90
  • Alert
  • Peace/Paix
  • NATO/OTAN
  • Humanitas
  • Ranger
  • Expedition
Recipient of the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
  1. ^ Bars worn with first earned nearest the medal; when ribbon is worn, a silver, gold or red maple leaf is worn to show a 2nd, 3rd, 4th or subsequent bar.

United Nations medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Korea Medal
Recipient of the Emergency Force (Egypt and Sinai) Medal
Recipient of the Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine (UNTSO) and
United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL)
Recipient of the Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan Medal
Recipient of the Congo Medal
Recipient of the Temporary Executive Authority in West New Guinea Medal
Recipient of the Yemen Observer Mission Medal
Recipient of the Cyprus Medal
Recipient of the India/Pakistan Observation Mission Medal
Recipient of the Emergency Force Middle East Medal
Recipient of the Disengagement Observer Force in Golan Heights Medal
Recipient of the Interim Force in Lebanon Medal
Recipient of the Military Observer Group in Iran and Iraq Medal
Recipient of the Transition Assistance Group in Namibia Medal
Recipient of the Observer Group in Central America Medal
Recipient of the Observer Mission in Iraq and Kuwait Medal
Recipient of the Angola Verification Mission Medal
Recipient of the Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara Medal
Recipient of the Observer Mission in El Salvador Medal
Recipient of the Protection Force in Yugoslavia Medal
Recipient of the Advance Mission in Cambodia Medal
Recipient of the Transitional Authority in Cambodia Medal
Recipient of the Operation in Somalia Medal
Recipient of the Operation in Mozambique Medal
Recipient of the Observation Mission in Uganda and Rwanda Medal
Recipient of the Assistance Mission in Rwanda Medal
Recipient of the Mission in Haiti Medal
Recipient of the Verification of Human Rights and Compliance with the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala Medal
Recipient of the Verification Mission in the Central African Republic Medal
Recipient of the Preventive Deployment Force in Macedonia Medal
Recipient of the Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina Medal
Recipient of the Observer Group in Prevlaka Medal
Recipient of the Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo Medal
Recipient of the Observer Mission in Sierra Leone Medal
Recipient of the Transitional Administration in East Timor Medal
Recipient of the Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Medal
Recipient of the Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea Medal
Recipient of the Stabilization Mission in Haiti
Recipient of the Operation in Côte d'Ivoire
Recipient of the Mission in Sudan
Recipient of the Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste
Recipient of the Hybrid Mission with the African Union in Darfur
Recipient of the Mission in South Sudan
Recipient of the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali
Recipient of the Special Service Medal
Recipient of the Headquarters Medal

United Nations medals not included in order of precedence

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Certain United Nations medals are recognized as a part of the Canadian honours system but are not included in the Order in Council that sets out the precedence of honours, decorations, and medals in Canada.

RibbonHonour
Recipient of the UN Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan & Pakistan

North Atlantic Treaty Organization medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Medal for Yugoslavia
Recipient of the Medal for Kosovo
Recipient of the Medal for Macedonia
Recipient of the Article 5 Medal for Operation Eagle Assist
Recipient of the Article 5 Medal for Operation Active Endeavour
Recipient of the Non-Article 5 Medal for the Balkans
Recipient of the Non-Article 5 Medal for ISAF
Recipient of the Non-Article 5 Medal for Pakistan
Recipient of the Non-Article 5 Medal for Training Mission in Iraq
Recipient of the Non-Article 5 Medal for Logistical Support in Sudan
Recipient of the Non-Article 5 Medal for Africa
Recipient of the Non-Article 5 Medal for Operation Unified Protector
Recipient of the Non-Article 5 Medal for Operation Sea Guardian

International mission medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the International Commission for Supervision and Control Medal; Indo-China, 1954–1973
Recipient of the International Commission of Control and Supervision Medal; Vietnam, 1973
Recipient of the Multinational Force and Observers Medal; Sinai, 1982-
Recipient of the European Community Monitor Mission Medal; Yugoslavia, 1991-
Recipient of the International Force East Timor Medal; 1999-2000
Recipient of the European Security and Defence Policy Service Medals

Polar and Volunteer medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Polar Medal
Recipient of the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers

Commemorative medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Canadian Centennial Medal
Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
Recipient of the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal
Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
Recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal

Long service and good conduct medals

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RibbonHonourPost-nominal letters
Recipient of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal
Recipient of the Canadian Forces' DecorationCD

Exemplary service medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Police Exemplary Service Medal
Recipient of the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal
Recipient of the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal
Recipient of the Canadian Coast Guard Exemplary Service Medal
Recipient of the Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal
Recipient of the Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal

Special medals

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RibbonHonour
Recipient of the Queen's Medal for Champion Shot

Other decorations and medals

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RibbonHonourPost-nominal letters
Recipient of the Ontario Medal for Good CitizenshipOMC
Recipient of the Ontario Medal for Police Bravery
Recipient of the Ontario Medal for Firefighters Bravery
Recipient of the Saskatchewan Volunteer MedalSVM
Recipient of the Ontario Provincial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Recipient of the Service Medal of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem
Recipient of the Commissionaires Long Service Medal
Recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador Bravery Award
Recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador Volunteer Service Medal
Recipient of the British Columbia Fire Services Bravery Medal
Recipient of the British Columbia Fire Services Long Service Medal
Recipient of the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan
Recipient of the Alberta Centennial Medal
Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal[a]
  • Commonwealth orders (approved by the King-in-Council)
  • Commonwealth decorations (approved by the King-in-Council)
  • Commonwealth medals (approved by the King-in-Council)
  • Foreign orders (approved by the King-in-Council)
  • Foreign decorations (approved by King-in-Council)
  • Foreign medals (approved by the King-in-Council)

There are a number of honours and medals administered by provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, which are not on the list, such as the Order of Polaris, membership in which is awarded by the government of Yukon's Transportation Hall of Fame. This means that they are not part of the Canadian honours system and their insignia must be worn on the right side of the chest, similar to organizational medals granted by the Royal Canadian Legion or the Canadian Cadet Organizations.

British awards granted prior to 1 June 1972

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Any person who, prior to June 1, 1972, was a member of a British order or the recipient of a British decoration or medal may wear the insignia of the decoration or medal together with the insignia of any Canadian order, decoration or medal that the person is entitled to wear, the proper sequence being the following:

Orders and decorations

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War and operational service medals

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Special service medals

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Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

United nations medals

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Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

International Commission and Organizational medals

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Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

Polar medals

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The order of precedence is the date on which they are awarded.

Commemorative medals

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Long service and good conduct medals

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Exemplary service medals

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Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

Special medal

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Other decorations and medals

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Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

Note—Canadians can still be awarded British Medals as well as Medals from other countries but they must first be approved by the Government of Canada. (See Nickle Resolution) These items are worn at the end of the current order of precedence, and one receiving a British Order, Decoration or Medal after 1 June 1972 will abide by the normal order of precedence, not the one catered to pre-1972 awardings.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The lieutenant governors-in-council of six provinces created commemorative medals for the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. These medals were added to the order of precedence on November 3, 2022 by an Order-in-Council, ranking below the Alberta Centennial Medal.[1]

Citations

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References

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  • Elizabeth II (29 June 1988), Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive, 1998, Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, archived from the original on 22 January 2010, retrieved 2 December 2009
  • Department of National Defence, Sequence for Wearing Orders, Decorations and Medals (PDF), Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, retrieved 14 November 2014
  • Office of the Governor General of Canada, Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals (PDF), Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-12-02, retrieved 3 December 2009
  • P.C. 2002-1192 dates 3 Nov 2022
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