Awards of valour
| Ribbon | Honour | Post-nominal letters |
|---|---|---|
 | Victoria Cross | VC |
 | Cross of Valour | CV |
The following is the Canadian order of precedence for decorations and medals in the Canadian Honours System. Where applicable, post-nominal letters are indicated.
| Ribbon | Honour | Post-nominal letters |
|---|---|---|
| | Victoria Cross | VC |
| | Cross of Valour | CV |
| Ribbon | Honour | Post-nominal letters |
|---|---|---|
 | Member of the Order of Nunavut | ONu |
 | Member of the Order of the Northwest Territories | ONWT |
 | Member of the Order of Yukon | OY |
| Ribbon | Honour | Post-nominal letters |
|---|---|---|
 | Star of Military Valour | SMV |
 | Star of Courage | SC |
 | Meritorious Service Cross (military division) | MSC |
 | Meritorious Service Cross (civilian division) | MSC |
 | Medal of Military Valour | MMV |
 | Medal of Bravery | MB |
 | Meritorious Service Medal (military division) | MSM |
 | Meritorious Service Medal (civil division) | MSM |
 | Royal Victorian Medal | RVM |
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.
| Ribbon | Honour | Post-nominal letters |
|---|---|---|
 | Royal Victorian Chain |
| Ribbon | Honour |
|---|---|
 | Sacrifice Medal |
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 | Honour |
|---|---|
 | Korea Medal |
 | Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea |
 | Gulf and Kuwait Medal |
 | Somalia Medal |
 | South-West Asia Service Medal |
| General Campaign Star | |
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| General Service Medal | |
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| Operational Service Medal | |
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| Ribbon | Honour | |
|---|---|---|
 | Special Service Medal with Bars [n 1]
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 | Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal | |
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| Ribbon | Honour |
|---|---|
 | Korea Medal |
 | Emergency Force (Egypt and Sinai) Medal |
 | Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine (UNTSO) and United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL) |
 | Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan Medal |
 | Congo Medal |
 | Temporary Executive Authority in West New Guinea Medal |
 | Yemen Observer Mission Medal |
 | Cyprus Medal |
| | India/Pakistan Observation Mission Medal |
 | Emergency Force Middle East Medal |
 | Disengagement Observer Force in Golan Heights Medal |
 | Interim Force in Lebanon Medal |
 | Military Observer Group in Iran and Iraq Medal |
 | Transition Assistance Group in Namibia Medal |
 | Observer Group in Central America Medal |
 | Observer Mission in Iraq and Kuwait Medal |
 | Angola Verification Mission Medal |
 | Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara Medal |
 | Observer Mission in El Salvador Medal |
 | Protection Force in Yugoslavia Medal |
 | Advance Mission in Cambodia Medal |
 | Transitional Authority in Cambodia Medal |
 | Operation in Somalia Medal |
 | Operation in Mozambique Medal |
 | Observation Mission in Uganda and Rwanda Medal |
 | Assistance Mission in Rwanda Medal |
 | Mission in Haiti Medal |
 | Verification of Human Rights and Compliance with the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala Medal |
 | Verification Mission in the Central African Republic Medal |
 | Preventive Deployment Force in Macedonia Medal |
 | Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina Medal |
 | Observer Group in Prevlaka Medal |
 | Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo Medal |
 | Observer Mission in Sierra Leone Medal |
 | Transitional Administration in East Timor Medal |
 | Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Medal |
 | Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea Medal |
 | Stabilization Mission in Haiti |
| Operation in Côte d'Ivoire | |
 | Mission in Sudan |
 | Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste |
 | Hybrid Mission with the African Union in Darfur |
 | Mission in South Sudan |
 | Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali |
 | Special Service Medal |
 | Headquarters Medal |
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 |
|---|---|
 | UN Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| Ribbon | Honour |
|---|---|
 | International Commission for Supervision and Control Medal; Indo-China, 1954–1973 |
 | International Commission of Control and Supervision Medal; Vietnam, 1973 |
 | Multinational Force and Observers Medal; Sinai, 1982- |
 | European Community Monitor Mission Medal; Yugoslavia, 1991- |
 | International Force East Timor Medal; 1999-2000 |
 | European Security and Defence Policy Service Medals |
| Ribbon | Honour |
|---|---|
 | Polar Medal |
 | Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers |
| Ribbon | Honour | Post-nominal letters |
|---|---|---|
 | Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal | |
 | Canadian Forces' Decoration | CD |
| Ribbon | Honour |
|---|---|
 | Queen's Medal for Champion Shot |
| Ribbon | Honour | Post-nominal letters |
|---|---|---|
 | Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship | OMC |
 | Ontario Medal for Police Bravery | |
 | Ontario Medal for Firefighters Bravery | |
 | Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal | SVM |
 | Ontario Provincial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal | |
 | Service Medal of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem | |
 | Commissionaires Long Service Medal | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador Bravery Award | ||
 | Newfoundland and Labrador Volunteer Service Medal | |
 | British Columbia Fire Services Bravery Medal | |
 | British Columbia Fire Services Long Service Medal | |
 | Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan | |
 | Alberta Centennial Medal | |
 | Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal [lower-alpha 1] |
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.
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:
(post-nominal letters only for internal use by the Order of St John)
The order of precedence is the date on which they are awarded.
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.
In the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories, personal bravery, achievement, or service are rewarded with honours. The honours system consists of three types of award:
The Order of Canada is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
This article concerns the orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms awarded by the sovereign in right of each nation.
The Order of Merit is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order remains the personal gift of its Sovereign—currently Edward VII's great-great-grandson, Charles III—and is restricted to a maximum of 24 living recipients from the Commonwealth realms, plus a limited number of honorary members. While all members are awarded the right to use the post-nominal letters OM and wear the badge of the order, the Order of Merit's precedence among other honours differs between countries.
The New Zealand royal honours system, a system of orders, decorations and medals, recognises achievements of, or service by, New Zealanders or others in connection with New Zealand. Until 1975, New Zealand used the British honours system. Since then the country has introduced a number of uniquely New Zealand honours, and as of 2021, only the dynastic British honours continue in active use in New Zealand, with the exception of the Order of the Companions of Honour.
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or New Zealand monarch, members of the monarch's family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the monarch. The present monarch, King Charles III, is the sovereign of the order. The order's motto is Victoria. The order's official day is 20 June. The order's chapel is the Savoy Chapel in London.
The orders, decorations, and medals of Canada comprise a complex system by which Canadians are honoured by the country's sovereign for actions or deeds that benefit their community or the country at large. Modelled on its British predecessor, the structure originated in the 1930s, but began to come to full fruition at the time of Canada's centennial in 1967, with the establishment of the Order of Canada, and has since grown in both size and scope to include dynastic and national orders, state, civil, and military decorations; and various campaign medals. The monarch in right of each Canadian province also issues distinct orders and medals to honour residents for work performed in just their province. The provincial honours, as with some of their national counterparts, grant the use of post-nominal letters and or supporters and other devices to be used on personal coats of arms.
The orders, decorations, and medals of the Canadian provinces, in which each province of Canada has devised a system of orders and other awards to honour residents for actions or deeds that benefit their local community or province, are in turn subsumed within the Canadian honours system. Each province sets its own rules and criteria for eligibility and also for how each award is presented. Most of the awards allow for the recipients to wear their awards in public, and most grant the recipients the use of post-nominal letters after their names. Not all of the awards listed below are part of the Canadian honours system, thus some of them may not be worn or court mounted with awards that are part of the Canadian honours system.
The 1914–15 Star is a campaign medal of the British Empire which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the First World War against the Central European Powers during 1914 and 1915. The medal was never awarded singly and recipients also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The Governor-General of Australia has, at irregular intervals, notified for general information the positioning of the wearing of Australian Orders, Decorations and Medals in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. The Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards was last published in 2007, and replaced the previous list published in 2002.
The Order of Military Merit is a military honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest order administered by the governor in Council on behalf of the Canadian monarch.
The British Armed Forces recognises service and personal accomplishments of individuals while a member of the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force with the awarding of various awards and decorations.
The orders, decorations, and medals of Luxembourg have their foundation in the Duchy of Nassau. The top tier order of Luxembourg being the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau is the House Order of the House of Nassau. The next in the order of honours precedence is the Order of Adolphe of Nassau, was founded by Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, in 1858 while he was the last reigning Duke of Nassau.
The Order of Wearing of Australian honours includes Imperial honours if they were awarded prior to 6 October 1992. Imperial honours awarded after 5 October 1992 are considered foreign.
In 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military decorations and medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Colony of Natal introduced this system in August 1895 and, in 1897, instituted the Distinguished Conduct Medal (Natal), post-nominal letters DCM.
In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Colony of Natal introduced this system in August 1895 and, in 1897, instituted the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal).
The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood has, at irregular intervals, notified for general information the positioning of the wearing of Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom in the London Gazette. The Order of Wear was last published in 2019.
| Awards of valour | |
|---|---|
| National orders | |
| Dynastic orders | |
| Provincial orders | |
| Territorial orders | |
| Other decorations and medals | |
| Canadian honours lists | |
