Canadian order of precedence (decorations and medals)

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This article is about the list of precedence for medals, honours, and post-nominals. For the order of precedence for Canadian dignitaries, see Canadian order of precedence.

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

Awards of valour[]

Ribbon Honour Post-nominal letters
Victoria Cross (Canada) ribbon bar.png Victoria Cross VC
Cross of Valour (Canada) with ribbon bar.svg Cross of Valour CV

National orders[]

Ribbon Honour Post-nominal letters
Order of Merit (Commonwealth realms) ribbon.png Member of the Order of Merit OM
Order of Canada (CC) ribbon bar.png Companion of the Order of Canada CC
Order of Canada (OC) ribbon bar.png Officer of the Order of Canada OC
Order of Canada (CM) ribbon bar.png Member of the Order of Canada CM
Order of Military Merit (Canada) ribbon (CMM).jpg Commander of the Order of Military Merit CMM
Order of Merit of the Police Forces (Canada) ribbon (COM).jpg Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces COM
Royal Victorian Order ribbon sm.jpg Commander of the Royal Victorian Order CVO
Order of Military Merit (Canada) ribbon (OMM).jpg Officer of the Order of Military Merit OMM
Order of Merit of the Police Forces (Canada) ribbon (OOM).jpg Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces OOM
Royal Victorian Order ribbon sm.jpg Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order LVO
Order of Military Merit (Canada) ribbon (MMM).jpg Member of the Order of Military Merit MMM
Order of Merit of the Police Forces (Canada) ribbon (MOM).jpg Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces MOM
Royal Victorian Order ribbon sm.jpg Member of the Royal Victorian Order MVO
Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector.svg Bailiff/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. John GCStJ[n 1]
Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector.svg Knight/Dame of the Order of St. John KStJ/DStJ[n 1]
Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector.svg Commander of the Order of St. John CStJ[n 1]
Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector.svg Officer of the Order of St. John OStJ[n 1]
Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector.svg Member of the Order of St. John MStJ[n 1]
  1. ^ a b c d e Postnominal letters for this order are only used within the order itself.

Provincial orders[]

Ribbon Honour Post-nominal letters
Grand Officer National Order of Québec Undress ribbon.png Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec GOQ
Officer National Order of Québec Undressed Ribbon.png Officer of the National Order of Quebec OQ
Knight National Order of Québec undressed ribbon.png Knight of the National Order of Quebec CQ
Saskatchewan Order of Merit ribbon bar 2005.svg Member of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit SOM
Order of Ontario ribbon bar.png Member of the Order of Ontario OOnt
Order British Columbia ribbon bar.svg Member of the Order of British Columbia OBC
Alberta Order Excellence ribbon bar.svg Member of the Alberta Order of Excellence AOE
Order Prince Edward Island ribbon bar.svg Member of the Order of Prince Edward Island OPEI
Order of Manitoba ribbon.png Member of the Order of Manitoba OM
Order of New Brunswick ribbon.png Member of the Order of New Brunswick ONB
Order Nova Scotia ribbon bar.png Member of the Order of Nova Scotia ONS
Order Newfoundland Labrador ribbon bar.svg Member of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador ONL

Territorial orders[]

Ribbon Honour Post-nominal letters
CAN Order of Nunavut ribbon.svg Member of the Order of Nunavut ONu
CAN Order of Northwest Territories ribbon.svg Member of the Order of the Northwest Territories ONWT
CAN Order of Yukon ribbon.svg Member of the Order of Yukon OY

National decorations[]

Ribbon Honour Post-nominal letters
SMV ribbon.png Star of Military Valour SMV
SC ribbon bar.png Star of Courage SC
MSC ribbon-military.png Meritorious Service Cross (military division) MSC
MSC ribbon-civil.png Meritorious Service Cross (civilian division) MSC
Medal of Military Valour ribbon bar.png Medal of Military Valour MMV
Medal of Bravery.png Medal of Bravery MB
MSM Ribbon-military.png Meritorious Service Medal (military division) MSM
MSM Ribbon-civilian.png Meritorious Service Medal (civil division) MSM
Royal Victorian Order ribbon sm.jpg Royal Victorian Medal RVM

National medals[]

Ribbon Honour
SM ribbon.png Sacrifice Medal

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.

Ribbon Honour
Memorial Cross (Ribbon).gif Memorial Cross

War and operational service medals[]

Ribbon Honour
Korea Medal.svg Korea Medal
CVSMK ribbon.png Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea
Canada Gulf and Kuwait Ribbon.png Gulf and Kuwait Medal
Somalia Medal Ribbon.png Somalia Medal
SWASM Ribbon.png South-West Asia Service Medal
General Campaign Star
CAN General Campaign Star ALLIED FORCE (GCS-AF).png
  • Allied Force
General Campaign Star Ribbon.png
  • South-West Asia
CAN General Campaign Star EXPEDITION (GCS-EXP).png
  • Expedition
Canadian Forces General Service Medal.png General Service Medal
CAN General Service Medal ALLIED FORCE (GSM-AF).png
  • Allied Force
General Service Medal Ribbon.png
  • South-West Asia
CAN General Service Medal Expedition (GSM-EXP).png
  • Expedition
Operational Service Medal
OSM SWA.jpg
  • South-West Asia
OSM-SL.jpg
OSM-H.jpg
OSM-S.jpg
OSM HUM.jpg
OSM-EX.jpg
  • Expedition

Special service medals[]

Ribbon Honour
Special Service Medal Ribbon.png Special Service Medal with Bars[n 1]
  • Pakistan 1989-90
  • Alert
  • Peace/Paix
  • NATO/OTAN
  • Humanitas
  • Ranger
  • Expedition
CPSM Ribbon.png 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[]

Ribbon Honour
United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg Korea Medal
Emergency Force in Egypt and Sinai Medal ribbon.png Emergency Force (Egypt and Sinai) Medal
UNTSO Medal bar.gif Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine (UNTSO) and
United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL)
UNMOGIP Medal bar.gif Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan Medal
UNOC.gif Congo Medal
UNTEA Medal bar.gif Temporary Executive Authority in West New Guinea Medal
UNYOM Medal bar.gif Yemen Observer Mission Medal
UNFICYP.gif Cyprus Medal
UNMOGIP Medal bar.gif India/Pakistan Observation Mission Medal
UNEFME Ribbon Bar.gif Emergency Force Middle East Medal
UNDOF Ribbon bar.gif Disengagement Observer Force in Golan Heights Medal
UNIFIL Ribbon bar.gif Interim Force in Lebanon Medal
UNIIMOG Ribbon bar.gif Military Observer Group in Iran and Iraq Medal
UNTAG.gif Transition Assistance Group in Namibia Medal
ONUCA Medal bar.gif Observer Group in Central America Medal
UNIKOM Medal bar.gif Observer Mission in Iraq and Kuwait Medal
UNAVEM Medal ribbon.gif Angola Verification Mission Medal
UN Medal MINURSO ribbon bar.svg Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara Medal
ONUSAL Medal bar.gif Observer Mission in El Salvador Medal
UNPROFOR Medal bar.gif Protection Force in Yugoslavia Medal
Advance Mission in Cambodia Medal ribbon.svg Advance Mission in Cambodia Medal
Transitional Authority in Cambodia Medal ribbon.png Transitional Authority in Cambodia Medal
Operation in Somalia Medal ribbon.png Operation in Somalia Medal
Operation in Mozambique Medal ribbon.png Operation in Mozambique Medal
Observation Mission in Uganda and Rwanda Medal ribbon.png Observation Mission in Uganda and Rwanda Medal
Assistance Mission in Rwanda Medal ribbon.png Assistance Mission in Rwanda Medal
Mission in Haiti Medal ribbon.png Mission in Haiti Medal
Verification of Human Rights in Guatemala Medal ribbon.png Verification of Human Rights and Compliance with the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala Medal
Verification Mission in the Central African Republic Medal ribbon.png Verification Mission in the Central African Republic Medal
Preventive Deployment Force in Macedonia Medal ribbon.png Preventive Deployment Force in Macedonia Medal
Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina Medal ribbon.png Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina Medal
UNMOP Medal bar.gif Observer Group in Prevlaka Medal
Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo Medal ribbon.png Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo Medal
Observer Mission in Sierra Leone Medal.png Observer Mission in Sierra Leone Medal
Transitional Administration in East Timor Medal ribbon.png Transitional Administration in East Timor Medal
Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Medal ribbon.png Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Medal
Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea Medal ribbon.png Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea Medal
UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti ribbon.png Stabilization Mission in Haiti
UN Operation in Côte D'Ivoire .png Operation in Côte d'Ivoire
UN Mission in Sudan ribbon.png Mission in Sudan
Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste ribbon.png Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste
Hybrid Mission with the African Union in Darfur ribbon.png Hybrid Mission with the African Union in Darfur
UNMISS Ribbon bar.svg Mission in South Sudan
UN MINUSMA Medal ribbon.svg Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali
Special Service Medal Medal.png Special Service Medal
Headquarters Medal ribbon.png Headquarters Medal

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.

Ribbon Honour
UNGOMAP.png UN Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan & Pakistan

North Atlantic Treaty Organization medals[]

Ribbon Honour
NATO Medal Yugoslavia ribbon bar.svg Medal for Yugoslavia
NATO Medal w Służbie Pokoju i Wolności BAR.svg Medal for Kosovo
NATO Medal Macedonia ribbon bar.svg Medal for Macedonia
NATO Medal Eagle Assist ribbon bar.svg Article 5 Medal for Operation Eagle Assist
NATO Medal ribbon (Article 5).svg Article 5 Medal for Operation Active Endeavour
NATO Medal non-article-5 Balkans ribbon bar.svg Non-Article 5 Medal for the Balkans
NATO Medal ISAF ribbon bar.svg Non-Article 5 Medal for ISAF
NATO Medal PAKISTAN ribbon bar.svg Non-Article 5 Medal for Pakistan
NATO Medal NTM-IRAQ ribbon bar.svg Non-Article 5 Medal for Training Mission in Iraq
NATO Medal AMIS ribbon bar.svg Non-Article 5 Medal for Logistical Support in Sudan
NATO Medal AFRICA ribbon bar.svg Non-Article 5 Medal for Africa
NATO Medal OUP-LIBYA-LIBYE ribbon bar.svg Non-Article 5 Medal for Operation Unified Protector
NATO Medal Sea Guardian ribbon bar.svg Non-Article 5 Medal for Operation Sea Guardian

International mission medals[]

Ribbon Honour
ICSC Ribbon.png International Commission for Supervision and Control Medal; Indo-China, 1954–1973
ICCS Medal ribbon, first version.png International Commission of Control and Supervision Medal; Vietnam, 1973
MFO Medal ribbon.png Multinational Force and Observers Medal; Sinai, 1982-
ECMM Medal YUG ribbon bar.svg European Community Monitor Mission Medal; Yugoslavia, 1991-
INTERFET Medal ribbon.png International Force East Timor Medal; 1999-2000
ESDP Ribbon.png European Security and Defence Policy Service Medals

Polar and Volunteer Medals[]

Ribbon Honour
Polar Medal ribbon.png Polar Medal
CAN Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers.png Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers

Commemorative medals[]

Ribbon Honour
Canada100 ribbon.png Canadian Centennial Medal
QEII Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.png Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
Canada125 ribbon.png 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal
QEII Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.png Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.png Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

Long service and good conduct medals[]

Ribbon Honour Post-nominal letters
RCMP Long Service Medal ribbon.svg Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal
CD-ribbon.png Canadian Forces' Decoration CD

Exemplary service medals[]

Ribbon Honour
Police Exemplary Service Medal Ribbon.png Police Exemplary Service Medal
Corrections Exemplary Service Medal Ribbon.png Corrections Exemplary Service Medal
Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal Ribbon.png Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal
Canadian Coast Guard Exemplary Service Medal Ribbon.png Canadian Coast Guard Exemplary Service Medal
Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal Ribbon.png Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal
Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal Ribbon.png Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal

Special medals[]

Ribbon Honour
Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the Military Forces ribbon.png Queen's Medal for Champion Shot

Other decorations and medals[]

Ribbon Honour Post-nominal letters
Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship.png Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship OMC
CAN Ontario Medal for Police Bravery ribbon.png Ontario Medal for Police Bravery
CAN Ontario Medal for Firefighters Bravery ribbon.png Ontario Medal for Firefighters Bravery
Saskatchewan Order Merit ribbon bar.svg Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal SVM
CAN Ontario Provincial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal ribbon.png Ontario Provincial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Service Medal of the Order of St John Ribbon.jpg Service Medal of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem
Commissionaire Long Service Medal Ribbon.png Commissionaires Long Service Medal
Newfoundland and Labrador Bravery Award
CAN Newfoundland and Labrador Volunteer Service Medal ribbon.png Newfoundland and Labrador Volunteer Service Medal
CAN British Columbia Fire Fighter Medal of Bravery ribbon.png British Columbia Fire Services Bravery Medal
CAN British Columbia Fire Services Long Service Medal ribbon.png British Columbia Fire Services Long Service Medal
SCM ribbon.png Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan
ACM ribbon.png Alberta Centennial Medal
  • Commonwealth orders (approved by the Queen-in-Council)
  • Commonwealth decorations (approved by the Queen-in-Council)
  • Commonwealth medals (approved by the Queen-in-Council)
  • Foreign orders (approved by the Queen-in-Council)
  • Foreign decorations (approved by Queen-in-Council)
  • Foreign medals (approved by the Queen-in-Council)

There are a number of medals issued by Provincial governments that are not on the list, meaning that they are not part of the Canadian Honours System and must be worn on the right side of the chest similar to organizational medals such as those presented by the Royal Canadian Legion and the Canadian Cadet Organizations. For more information see .

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[]

(post-nominal letters only for internal use by the Order of St John)

War and operational service medals[]

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[]

Long service and good conduct medals[]

Exemplary service medals[]

Order of Precedence as set out above in current precedence

Special medal[]

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)

References[]

  • 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

External links[]

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