Canadian honours order of wearing

The order of wear for decorations and medals of Canada is published by the Governor General of Canada.

Awards of valour

National orders

Provincial orders

Territorial orders

National decorations

National decorations not included in order of precedence

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.

National medals

National medals not included in order of precedence

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.

War and operational service medals

Special service medals

United Nations medals

United Nations medals not included in order of precedence

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.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization medals

International mission medals

Polar and Volunteer medals

Commemorative medals

Long service and good conduct medals

Exemplary service medals

Special medals

Other decorations and medals

• 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

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

• Recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC)
• Recipient of the George Cross (GC)
• Recipient of the Cross of Valour (CV)
• Member of the Order of Merit (OM)
• Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH)
• Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)
• Officer of the Order of Canada (OC)
• Member of the Order of Canada (CM)
• Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)
• Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM)
• Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)
• Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)
• Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)
• Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
• Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
• Officer of the Order of Military Merit (OMM)
• Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (OOM)
• Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO)
• Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
• Companion of the Imperial Service Order (ISO)
• Member of the Order of Military Merit (MMM)
• Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (MOM)
• Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)
• Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
• Member of the Royal Red Cross (RRC)
• Recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
• Recipient of the Military Cross (MC)
• Recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
• Recipient of the Air Force Cross (AFC)
• Recipient of the Star of Military Valour (SMV)
• Recipient of the Star of Courage (SC)
• Recipient of the Meritorious Service Cross (MSC)
• Recipient of the Medal of Military Valour (MMV)
• Recipient of the Medal of Bravery (MB)
• Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)
• Associate of the Royal Red Cross (ARRC)
• (Insert membership grade) of the Order of St John (post-nominal letters only for internal use by the Order of St John)
• Provincial Orders (order of precedence as set out in current precedence)
• Recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)
• Recipient of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM)
• Recipient of the George Medal (GM)
• Recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)
• Recipient of the Military Medal (MM)
• Recipient of the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)
• Recipient of the Air Force Medal (AFM)
• Recipient of the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM)
• Recipient of the Royal Victorian Medal (RVM)
• Recipient of the British Empire Medal (BEM)

War and operational service medals

• Recipient of the Queen's South Africa Medal (1900–1902)
• Recipient of the King's South Africa Medal (1902)
• Recipient of the Africa General Service Medal (1902–56)
• Recipient of the India General Service Medal (1908–35)
• Recipient of the Naval General Service Medal (1915–62)
• Recipient of the India General Service Medal (1936–39)
• Recipient of the General Service Medal - Army and Air Force (1918–62)
• Recipient of the General Service Medal (1962–)
• Recipient of the 1914 Star
• Recipient of the 1914–15 Star
• Recipient of the British War Medal (1914–18)
• Recipient of the Mercantile Marine War Medal (1914–18)
• Recipient of the Victory Medal (1914–18)
• Recipient of the Territorial Force War Medal (1914–19)
• Recipient of the 1939-1945 Star
• Recipient of the Atlantic Star
• Recipient of the Air Crew Europe Star
• Recipient of the Africa Star
• Recipient of the Pacific Star
• Recipient of the Burma Star
• Recipient of the Italy Star
• Recipient of the France and Germany Star
• Recipient of the Defence Medal
• Recipient of the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
• Recipient of the Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal (this award has the same precedence as the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal)
• Recipient of the War Medal (1939–45)
• 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

Special service medals

Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

United nations medals

Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

International Commission and Organizational medals

Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

Polar medals

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

Commemorative medals

• Recipient of the King Edward VII Coronation Medal (1902)
• Recipient of the King George V Coronation Medal (1911)
• Recipient of the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935)
• Recipient of the King George VI Coronation Medal (1937)
• Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953)
• Recipient of the Canadian Centennial Medal (1967)
• Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
• Recipient of the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992)
• Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
• Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)

Long service and good conduct medals

• Recipient of the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
• Recipient of the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
• Recipient of the Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
• Recipient of the RCMP Long Service Medal
• Recipient of the Volunteer Officer's Decoration (VD)
• Recipient of the Volunteer Long Service Medal
• Recipient of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officer's Decoration (VD)
• Recipient of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal
• Recipient of the Efficiency Decoration (ED)
• Recipient of the Efficiency Medal
• Recipient of the Naval Volunteer Reserve Decoration (VRD)
• Recipient of the Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
• Recipient of the Air Efficiency Award
• Recipient of the Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)

Exemplary service medals

Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

Special medal

• Recipient of the Queen's Medal for Champion Shot

Other decorations and medals

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

• List of Canadian provincial and territorial orders
• List of Canadian awards
• Commonwealth realms orders and decorations
• Canadian Forces order of precedence
• 1946 New Year Honours (Canada)
• 2017 Canada Day Honours
• 2018 New Year Honours (Canada)
• 2018 Canada Day Honours
• 2019 New Year Honours (Canada)
• 2019 Canada Day Honours
• 2020 New Year Honours (Canada)

Notes

Citations

References

• P.C. 2002-1192 dates 3 Nov 2022

External links

• Order of Precedence – Governor General of Canada
• Canadian Medals Chart – Department of National Defence (archived version)
• Canadian Forces Administrative Order 18-4 Recommendations for Canadian Orders, Decorations and Military Honours