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Version of document from 2018-10-22 to 2024-10-30:

Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive, 1998

SI/98-55

Registration 1998-04-29

Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive, 1998

P.C. 1998-591 1998-04-02

His Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, hereby makes the annexed Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive, 1998.

Order of Precedence

1 The sequence for wearing the insignia of Canadian orders, decorations and medals, and the post-nominal letters associated with the orders, decorations and medals, are the following:

  • Victoria Cross (V.C.)
  • Cross of Valour (C.V.)

National Orders

  • Companion of the Order of Canada (C.C.)
  • Officer of the Order of Canada (O.C.)
  • Member of the Order of Canada (C.M.)
  • Commander of the Order of Military Merit (C.M.M.)
  • Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (C.V.O.)
  • Officer of the Order of Military Merit (O.M.M.)
  • Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (L.V.O.)
  • Member of the Order of Military Merit (M.M.M.)
  • Member of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.)
  • The Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem (all grades) (post-nominal letters only for internal use by the Order of St. John)

Provincial Orders

  • Ordre national du Québec (G.O.Q., O.Q., C.Q.)
  • The Saskatchewan Order of Merit (S.O.M.)
  • The Order of Ontario (O.Ont.)
  • The Order of British Columbia (O.B.C.)
  • The Alberta Order of Excellence (A.O.E.)
  • The Order of Prince Edward Island (O.P.E.I.)

Territorial Orders

Decorations

  • Star of Military Valour (S.M.V.)
  • Star of Courage (S.C.)
  • Meritorious Service Cross (M.S.C.)
  • Medal of Military Valour (M.M.V.)
  • Medal of Bravery (M.B.)
  • Meritorious Service Medal (M.S.M.)
  • Royal Victorian Medal (R.V.M.)

War and Operational Service Medals
(See section 5 for complete list.)

  • Korea Medal
  • Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea
  • Gulf and Kuwait Medal
  • Somalia Medal

Special Service Medal With Bars

  • Pakistan 1989-90
  • Alert
  • Humanitas
  • NATO/OTAN
  • Peace/Paix

United Nations Medals

  • Service (Korea)
  • Emergency Force
  • Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine and Observer Group in Lebanon
  • Military Observation Group in India and Pakistan
  • Organization in Congo
  • Temporary Executive Authority in West New Guinea
  • Yemen Observation Mission
  • Force in Cyprus
  • India/Pakistan Observation Mission
  • Emergency Force Middle East
  • Disengagement Observation Force Golan Heights
  • Interim Force in Lebanon
  • Military Observation Group in Iran/Iraq
  • Transition Assistance Group (Namibia)
  • Observer Group in Central America
  • Iraq/Kuwait Observer Mission
  • Angola Verification Mission
  • Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
  • Observer Mission in El Salvador
  • Protection Force (Yugoslavia)
  • Advance Mission in Cambodia
  • Transitional Authority in Cambodia
  • Operation in Somalia
  • Operation in Mozambique
  • Observation Mission in Uganda/Rwanda
  • Assistance Mission in Rwanda
  • Mission in Haiti
  • Verification of Human Rights and Compliance with the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala
  • Special Service

International Commission and Organization Medals

  • International Commission for Supervision and Control (Indo-China)
  • International Commission for Control and Supervision (Vietnam)
  • Multinational Force and Observers (Sinai)
  • European Community Monitor Mission (Yugoslavia)
  • North Atlantic Treaty Organization with a “Former Yugoslavia” Bar

Commemorative Medals

  • Canadian Centennial Medal (1967)
  • Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
  • 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992)

Long Service and Good Conduct Medals

  • R.C.M.P. Long Service Medal
  • Canadian Forces Decoration (C.D.)

Exemplary Service Medals

  • Police Exemplary Service Medal
  • Corrections Exemplary Service Medal
  • Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal
  • Canadian Coast Guard Exemplary Service Medal
  • Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal

Special Medal

  • Queen’s Medal for Champion Shot

Other Medals

  • Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship (O.M.C.)
  • Ontario Medal for Police Bravery
  • Ontario Medal for Firefighters Bravery
  • Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal (S.V.M.)
  • Ontario Provincial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
  • Service Medal of the Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem
  • Commissionaire Long Service Medal
  • SI/2018-98

2 The Bar to the Special Service Medal is worn centred on the ribbon. If there is more than one Bar, they are spaced evenly on the ribbon with the most recent uppermost.

3 Commonwealth orders, decorations and medals the award of which is approved by the Government of Canada are worn after the Canadian orders, decorations and medals listed in section 1, precedence in each category being set by date of appointment or award.

4 Foreign orders, decorations and medals the award of which is approved by the Government of Canada are worn after the orders, decorations and medals referred to in sections 1 and 3, precedence in each category being set by date of appointment or award.

5 Notwithstanding sections 1, 3 and 4, a person who, prior to June 1, 1972, was a member of a British order or the recipient of a British decoration or medal referred to in this section, 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:

  • Victoria Cross (V.C.)
  • George Cross (G.C.)
  • Cross of Valour (C.V.)
  • Order of Merit (O.M.)
  • Order of the Companions of Honour (C.H.)
  • Companion of the Order of Canada (C.C.)
  • Officer of the Order of Canada (O.C.)
  • Member of the Order of Canada (C.M.)
  • Commander of the Order of Military Merit (C.M.M.)
  • Companion of the Order of the Bath (C.B.)
  • Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (C.M.G.)
  • Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (C.V.O.)
  • Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.)
  • Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.)
  • Officer of the Order of Military Merit (O.M.M.)
  • Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (L.V.O.)
  • Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.)
  • Imperial Service Order (I.S.O.)
  • Member of the Order of Military Merit (M.M.M.)
  • Member of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.)
  • Member of the Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.)
  • Member of the Royal Red Cross (R.R.C.)
  • Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.)
  • Military Cross (M.C.)
  • Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C.)
  • Air Force Cross (A.F.C.)
  • Star of Military Valour (S.M.V.)
  • Star of Courage (S.C.)
  • Meritorious Service Cross (M.S.C.)
  • Medal of Military Valour (M.M.V.)
  • Medal of Bravery (M.B.)
  • Meritorious Service Medal (M.S.M.)
  • Associate of the Royal Red Cross (A.R.R.C.)
  • The Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem (all grades) (post-nominal letters only for internal use by the Order of St. John of Jerusalem)
  • Provincial Orders (order of precedence as set out in section 1)
  • Territorial Orders (order of precedence as set out in section 1)
  • Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.)
  • Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (C.G.M.)
  • George Medal (G.M.)
  • Distinguished Service Medal (D.S.M.)
  • Military Medal (M.M.)
  • Distinguished Flying Medal (D.F.M.)
  • Air Force Medal (A.F.M.)
  • Queen’s Gallantry Medal (Q.G.M.)
  • Royal Victorian Medal (R.V.M.)
  • British Empire Medal (B.E.M.)

War and Operational Service Medals

  • Africa General Service Medal (1902-1956)
  • India General Service Medal (1908-1935)
  • Naval General Service Medal (1915-1962)
  • India General Service Medal (1936-1939)
  • General Service Medal - Army and Air Force (1918-1962)
  • General Service Medal (1962-  )
  • 1914 Star
  • 1914-1915 Star
  • British War Medal (1914-1918)
  • Mercantile Marine War Medal (1914-1918)
  • Victory Medal (1914-1918)
  • Territorial Force War Medal (1914-1919)
  • 1939-1945 Star
  • Atlantic Star
  • Air Crew Europe Star
  • Africa Star
  • Pacific Star
  • Burma Star
  • Italy Star
  • France and Germany Star
  • Defence Medal
  • Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
  • Newfoundland Second World War Volunteer Service Medal (see section 6)
  • War Medal (1939-1945)
  • Korea Medal
  • Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea
  • Gulf and Kuwait Medal
  • Somalia Medal

Special Service Medal
(The order of precedence is as set out for the Special Service Medal with Bars in section 1.)

United Nations Medals
(The order of precedence is as set out for the United Nations Medals in section 1.)

International Commission Medals
(The order of precedence is as set out for International Commission and Organization Medals in section 1.)

Polar Medals
(The order of precedence is by order of date awarded.)

Commemorative Medals

  • King George V’s Silver Jubilee Medal (1935)
  • King George VI’s Coronation Medal (1937)
  • Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation Medal (1953)
  • Canadian Centennial Medal (1967)
  • Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
  • 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992)

Long Service and Good Conduct Medals

  • Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
  • Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
  • Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
  • R.C.M.P. Long Service Medal
  • Volunteer Officer’s Decoration (V.D.)
  • Volunteer Long Service Medal
  • Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officer’s Decoration (V.D.)
  • Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal
  • Efficiency Decoration (E.D.)
  • Efficiency Medal
  • Naval Volunteer Reserve Decoration (V.R.D.)
  • Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
  • Air Efficiency Award
  • Canadian Forces Decoration (C.D.)

Exemplary Service Medals
(The order of precedence is as set out for Exemplary Service Medals in section 1.)

Special Medal

  • Queen’s Medal for Champion Shot

Other Medals
(The order of precedence is as set out for Other Medals in section 1.)

  • SI/2018-98

6 The Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal has the same precedence as the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

7 The insignia of orders, decorations and medals not listed in this Directive, as well as foreign awards the award of which has not been approved by the Government of Canada, shall not be mounted or worn in conjunction with the orders, decorations and medals listed in this Directive.

8 The insignia of orders, decorations and medals shall not be worn by anyone other than the recipient of the orders, decorations or medals.

Repeal

9 The Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals DirectiveFootnote 1 is repealed.

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