Chapter 1 – Honours and awards to individuals

The Honours system

Categories

  1. The Canadian Honours System exists to recognize individuals who distinguish themselves in a specific sphere of activity, accomplish acts of military valour or bravery, or perform meritorious service. Honours are also used to recognize specific military service such as military campaigns and operations, and to recognize long service and good conduct. Honours help to promote national unity and pride by encouraging values such as patriotism, devotion to duty and service to society, and by inspiring people to serve their country. Honours are created by and bestowed on behalf of the Sovereign and are divided into four main categories: orders, decorations, medals and armorial bearings. (Refer also to Chapter 2 and related annexes where orders, decorations and medals are described.)
  2. In addition to national honours, departmental awards are created within National Defence and are available to members of the CF, civilians, units and groups. These include commendations from the CDS and designated Commanders of Commands, the Canadian Forces Medallion for Distinguished Service (CFMDS), or the Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation and the Canadian Forces Unit Commendation (CFUC). (Refer also to Chapter 2, paragraph 4, and Chapter 9, Annexes G, H, and Annex W, paragraph 6 to paragraph 28.)

Historical development

  1. At the beginning of the 20th Century, Canada was a self-governing dominion within the British Empire. As the country evolved into an independent state, suggestions for the development of its own honours system grew. After the First World War, a decision was taken that Canadians could no longer accept titles, be it hereditary or a knighthood. However, the non-titular levels of British orders, decorations and medals continued to be used.
  2. Limited steps towards creating Canadian military honours were taken in the middle of the 20th century, beginning with the creation of the ill-fated Canada Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal during the Second World War. After the war, a common award for military long service and exemplary conduct, the Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD), was created to replace its several predecessors. This was followed by the Korean War Medal, a distinctly Canadian campaign medal for service in the Korean Conflict.
  3. The cornerstone of our modern honours system was laid during the Centennial of Confederation in 1967 with the creation of the Order of Canada. That year also saw the creation of the first Canadian commemorative medal, the Canadian Centennial Medal. These were followed by a deliberate expansion of the Canadian Honours System in 1972 with the introduction of the Order of Military Merit (ORMM) and a group of Bravery Decorations. Since then, practice, experience and study have led to continued growth of the national system for recognizing the merit and deeds of those who serve Canada.
  4. Accompanying this growth has been the development of commendations and other departmental awards to recognize activity beyond the demands of normal duty or of benefit to the CF or Canada.
  5. In 2009, as a result of Canadian involvement in Afghanistan, the GC instituted a new overseas service recognition framework.
  6. This framework represents a fundamental shift in how personnel will be recognized and consists of the following general principles:
    1. Canada accepts and integrates into its order of precedence United Nations (UN) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) medals unless they do not meet Canadian requirements. No organizational service medals, other than UN or NATO, will be added to the order of precedence in the future (e.g. commissions, other international bodies, etc). Other service medals, including those state medals offered by a lead country, may be approved as Commonwealth or foreign awards as appropriate. Only when no such medal is available from the lead country or organization will Canadian recognition be considered based on the nature of the service;
    2. Canadian recognition is theatre-based rather than mission specific. This means that all service in a designated theatre which is not recognized by another medal (such as UN or NATO) will be eligible for the same recognition wherever possible;
    3. Overseas service is generally recognized with a distinct ribbon for each separate theatre. This reflects a "ONE-MEDAL DIFFERENT-RIBBON" approach similar to the UN system which utilizes a generic medal with distinctive ribbons;
    4. The minimum number of days required for someone to be eligible is specified in the respective regulations, and is applicable to both military and civilian personnel; and
    5. An extended tour or multiple tours to the same theatre are recognized in the form of Rotation Bars which are awarded with certain campaign and service medals after a total of 210 days of eligible service for the first Bar (including days counted toward the award of the initial medal), and for each additional period of 180 days of eligible service for subsequent Bars.

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Policy

National honours policy

  1. Definition. The term "honours" encompasses all categories of national distinctions emanating from the Sovereign, through the GG. Conversely, the term "awards" refers to those awards not emanating from the Crown but rather created and awarded by DND as well as other departments and agencies.
  2. Categories. Proposals from DND for the establishment of particular honours will fall within the categories listed and adhere to the principles and follow the method of submission as noted below.

Types of honours, categories and qualifying criteria

  1. Orders. Orders recognize outstanding achievement or service in a specific field, usually over a long period of time.
    1. The national orders are the Order of Merit (OM), the Order of Canada, the ORMM, the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, the Royal Victorian Order and the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.
  2. Decorations. Decorations recognize a single brave action or exceptional service in a specific activity over a specific period of time. There are three major types of decorations:
    1. Military Valour. For bravery, valour, self-sacrifice and devotion to duty above and beyond the call of duty in military operations against an armed enemy. The Military Valour Decorations (MVDs) are the Victoria Cross (VC), the Star of Military Valour (SMV) and the Medal of Military Valour (MMV);
    2. Bravery. For bravery or courage in circumstances of danger involving risk of life or limb in situations not involving military operations against an armed enemy. The Bravery Decorations are the Cross of Valour (CV), the Star of Courage (SC) and the Medal of Bravery (MB); and
    3. Meritorious Service. For demonstrating exceptional professional skill in a specific activity. The Meritorious Service Decorations (MSDs) are the Meritorious Service Cross (MSC) and the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM).
  3. Medals. Medals recognize military service, commemorate an event or acknowledge long service.
  4. It is not the intention of the honours system to recognize all types of military service, be it in Canada or abroad. To deserve recognition, the service must be exceptional in nature and not routine performance of duty. Service in active operations in a conflict, or in a peacekeeping context, or service not in an active operation but rendered under exceptional circumstances, may deserve recognition.
  5. Conversely, exchange, diplomatic or liaison duties, or other foreign service mainly administrative in nature, national operations such as in the defence of Canada, aid to civil authorities, exercises, time at sea and other similar duties are considered part of the regular duties of members of the CF and as such do not warrant special recognition apart from the award of the CD (refer to Chapter 9, Annex T).
  6. The four major types of medals are:
    1. War or Campaign. For military service in a clearly defined locality for a specified duration to recognize service in a theatre of active operations (in the face of an armed enemy). War or campaign medals include the Gulf and Kuwait Medal, the Somalia Medal and the General Campaign Star (GCS).
    2. General or Special Service. For military service in a clearly defined locality for a specified duration to recognize service under exceptional circumstances not necessarily in a theatre of active operations. This means that those who are deployed in direct support of an operation, but not inside a specific theatre may qualify for a service medal, but not for a campaign medal. It should be noted however that service in direct support must be performed under circumstances that warrant recognition and where there is a credible risk, threat, hardship or operational intensity, though they may not be as acute as in the theatre. The provision of direct support from a distant headquarters in a relatively secure and civilized country would not be considered for recognition. General or special service medals include the South-West Asia Service Medal (SWASM), the General Service Medal (GSM), the Operational Service Medal (OSM), the Special Service Medal (SSM) and the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal (CPSM) as well as UN, NATO and International mission medals.
    3. Commemorative. To recognize deserving individuals on the occasion of a joyous event such as a coronation, jubilee or national anniversary. Commemorative medals include the Canadian Centennial Medal, the 125th Anniversary of Confederation Medal and the Queen's Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals.
    4. Long Service and Good Conduct. For completion of a prescribed period of service under terms of efficiency and good conduct. For the CF, the long service and good conduct award is the CD. It serves not only to recognize long service and good conduct but also to recognize all the operations, exercises, foreign service and other activities and hardships inherent to military life that are not otherwise acknowledged by the award of service medals.

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Military honours creation/modification process

  1. The creation of a new national honour or modification to an existing one is a complex process. A proposal must respect the honours policy and principles detailed above. Following is a brief outline of the necessary steps of this process:
    1. A proposal is forwarded through the chain of command to the appropriate Level 1 Advisor (L1) and then to the Directorate of Honours and Recognition (DH&R) for consideration and submission to the Canadian Forces Honours Policy Committee (CFHPC) (ref Chapter 1, Annex A). The proposals shall include all details relevant to the service or operation in question to allow the various committees, who may not be familiar with the context, to make a decision with regards to the suitability and level of recognition. This would include a description of the mandate, geographical area, assessment of risk, threat, hardship, operational intensity, start and end date, number of participants, etc.
    2. If supported by CFHPC, the proposal is sent for Armed Forces Council (AFC) concurrence and CDS approval before submission to the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall.
    3. The Chancellery of Honours processes the submission through both the Government Honours Policy Sub-Committee and Government Honours Policy Committee for approval.
    4. Once approved, final artwork is prepared where applicable, and letters patent, Orders in Council (OIC) and regulations are drafted in cooperation with the Department of Justice.
    5. The legal documents are sent to the Privy Council Office (PCO) for processing and for the Prime Minister's approval.
    6. The final documents are forwarded, through Rideau Hall, to the Sovereign. The Sovereign's signature on the design and the letters patent officially creates the honour. For the modification of an existing honour, the GG may approve the changes on behalf of the Sovereign unless the changes are so significant as to change the original intent and purpose of the honour approved by the Sovereign.
    7. The new honour or amendment is then announced by the Chancellery of Honours, the Order in Council is published in the Canada Gazette, and the CF issues a CANFORGEN.
    8. Procurement of the insignia can proceed when final approval has been granted.
  2. This process usually takes between 12 and 18 months to complete from proposal to award. For the acceptance of foreign medals (such as UN or NATO) into the Canadian order of precedence, it usually takes about six months. The process is simpler as it does not include regulations, designs and procurement but it follows the same steps up to the GG.
  3. Additions and amendments to eligibility lists for campaign and service medals, ribbons and bars, within the intent of their existing regulations, are approved by the CDS in consultation with AFC on the recommendation of the CFHPC. The CF Force Employer or responsible federal government department or agency shall submit a proposal for potential service recognition to DH&R within 30 days of the start of a new mission to ensure timely approval and recognition of the participants. The proposal shall be made as outlined at paragraph 17.a above using the form provided by DH&R for this purpose, to which will be attached the briefing note and any supporting material. Once approved, additions and amendments are published in a CANFORGEN (for CF missions) and added to the relevant eligibility lists in this manual and on the DH&R web site.
  4. When the lead country, the UN or NATO offers recognition for service with an operation, this will be the appropriate recognition that will be approved by the Government of Canada with its related regulations, unless the proposed recognition does not meet Canadian requirements. Only when no such recognition is available, or when the proposed recognition fails to meet basic Canadian requirements, will consideration be given to provide Canadian recognition, which will be determined by the nature of the mission.
  5. Principles to be Observed in Instituting Honours
    1. Compatibility. Any specific proposal must be compatible with the existing system of Canadian honours.
    2. Duplication. No new military decoration should duplicate the existing national decorations.
    3. Eligibility. No new military decoration should adversely affect the eligibility of military personnel for such traditional awards.
    4. Respect. Fundamental to the concept of honours is that they carry prestige. Their raison-d'être is to recognize an accomplishment commanding the respect of members of the military, the general public and the person honoured.
    5. Equitability. Non-recognition of this factor could produce the negative effect of dissatisfaction rather than improve morale. If an honour is bestowed for duty under certain circumstances, similar kinds of duty and circumstances should also be rewarded.
    6. Credibility. This factor is related to respect. To be credible an honour must represent a worthy endeavour. It must not represent routine duty.

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Method of submitting proposals for military honours creation and modification process

  1. Any specific proposal will require examination by the Government Honours Policy Committee for the purpose of advising the Prime Minister on the matter.
  2. One guiding principle for military honours is that proposals for new awards are always made in consultation with the CF. That is, the views of those who would actually qualify for and be honoured by each award are given great weight. A CFHPC representing the CF (ref Chapter 1, Annex A) studies these matters in depth and is responsible to maintain the high standards established in the past.
  3. With certain Canadian campaign and service medals, once the medal has been approved for an operation or service, it is possible to recognize additional tours of duty in one operation with the award of Rotation Bars.
  4. Tour numerals are a UN and NATO tradition and do not apply to Canadian honours.

Retroactivity

  1. In 1950, King George VI directed that consideration would not be given to recognize events that happened more than five years previously. This "five-year rule" was established to ensure that proposals would be judged by the standards of the time and against contemporary events, ensuring that earlier decisions would not be second-guessed. This five-year rule has generally been followed for over 50 years and was entrenched in Canadian Honours Policy in 2005 making it an official rule which applies to the modern Canadian Honours System. The rule has three main effects:
    1. No nomination for individual and group honours and awards shall be considered for actions which took place, or service which ended more than five years previously;
      1. by regulation the time limit is two years for Military Valour and Bravery Decorations; and
      2. the rule does not affect applications for campaign, service and long service medals.
    2. No proposal to create recognition or add to the eligibility list of existing recognition shall be considered for service which ended more than five years previously; and
    3. Any newly created recognition shall not be retroactive more than five years from the date the recognition was formally proposed.

Dual recognition (duplicate recognition)

  1. In the Canadian Honours System, dual recognition is prohibited, meaning that:
    1. a specific act or service may only be recognized by one honour or award. An act of bravery can only be recognized by either a MB or a CDS Commendation, not both. There are occasions when multiple awards may be granted but they must recognize different things. As an example, a person may be awarded a MSM for distinguished leadership throughout a tour on a mission, a Mention in Dispatches (MID) for a specific act of courage on that same mission, and a foreign decoration for providing assistance to and reinforcing the friendly relations and military cooperation with a donor country;
    2. service on a mission or operation can generally only be recognized by the award of one campaign or service medal, be it Canadian or foreign. For example, if a NATO medal recognizes a service, a Canadian service medal will not be awarded for the same service. There are occasions where an operation is conducted from different locations (for example service inside the theatre of operation and in support areas located outside the theatre) which may be recognized by different medals. In such cases, depending on the regulations specific to each medal, it may be possible for a person to qualify for more than one medal for the same operation provided the person fully met the criteria for each medal independently (i.e. with enough days in each eligible location) with no single day counting towards two different medals.
  2. Any one day (each day of service) can only be counted towards one medal. When the days counted towards a medal are insufficient to meet the criteria to lead to the award of the medal, the days in question cannot be transferred to another medal as the days can only count towards the medal the service has been approved for. When a person spends parts of the same day in areas eligible for different medals (like aircrew flying between theatres and support locations for example), that day shall only be counted towards the highest medal in precedence.
  3. This duplicate recognition rule does not prevent the award of gallantry, bravery or merit-based decorations for actions performed in a mission recognized by a service medal, meaning that the service medal recognizes the service in one operation or location for all those who participate, while the decoration recognizes an exceptional action or activity performed by a particular individual or group.
  4. This rule also does not prevent the award of the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal (CPSM). The CPSM is different in that it does not recognize service with any particular operation but rather recognizes the wearer as a peacekeeper and commemorates the granting of the Nobel Peace Prize to all peacekeepers in 1988. Therefore, its award, often in parallel with a UN, NATO or other mission-specific service medal, is not considered dual recognition.

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Honours in confidence

  1. The term "HONOURS IN CONFIDENCE" is used with regards to honours policy proposals and nominations for honours for individuals and groups. While it is not an officially recognized document classification, it is generally considered the equivalent of PROTECTED B and means that only those who need to know can be made aware of its content to ensure the necessary processing and consideration of the proposal.
  2. For honours policy proposals, no one else can be privy to the information until after the award is formally approved and officially announced by the authorities concerned. Committee deliberations and related documentation, including draft regulations and draft OIC, are considered Cabinet Confidences as set out in the Privacy Act (refer to paragraphs 70(1)(a) to 70(1)(f) of the Privacy Act). As a result, this information remains a confidence even after receiving approval by the Governor in Council and having been published.
  3. For individual and group nominations, the candidate for the honour or award shall never be informed of the nomination and no one outside the reviewing authority shall be informed until the recipient has been formally notified of the award once approved. Once an award has been approved, the name and citation will be released (except for secret awards) but the content of the full nomination file remains "HONOURS IN CONFIDENCE" and shall not be released.

Punishments

  1. The commanding officer (CO) is responsible to ensure all punishments and convictions have been accurately recorded on the member's Conduct Sheet and in GUARDIAN in accordance with King's Regulations and Orders (KR&O) 112.81 and Defence Administrative Orders and Directives (DAOD) 7006-0 but not limited to civil/military imprisonment and other forfeited days as per the Military Human Resource Records Procedure (MHRRP) (link accessible only on the National Defence network).

Forfeiture

  1. Honours are not a right but a privilege conferred by the Crown and therefore they can be forfeited or surrendered under certain conditions (refer also to Impact of Punishments on Honours, Chapter 4, Annex A). In these instances, DH&R forwards a request to the GG to sign a Cancellation Instrument.
  2. Recommendations that a grant of honour be cancelled for cause shall be processed for consideration by the responsible committee where appropriate (Order of Military Merit (ORMM) Advisory Council), Canadian Forces Decorations Advisory Committee (CFDAC), DND St. John Honours and Awards Committee) in the same manner as for nominations, i.e. submitted by the CO through the chain of command. Refer to KR&O for the CF, Article 18.27 and 18.29.
  3. The cited cause and supporting narrative shall adhere to the following principles:
    1. Relevance – the cause must be relevant to the reason for the grant of honour;
    2. Proportionality – the loss of honour should match the seriousness of the cause; and
    3. Equitability – everyone should be treated equitably. This does not require identical treatment, since causes, responsibilities and reactions weigh differently for individuals. A comparative view and comments are therefore useful.
  4. In general, the appropriate committee shall decide if, with current information, the recipient still meets, or actually met at the time of the honoured deed or activity, the honour's criteria.
  5. MVDs and Canadian Bravery Decorations shall not be forfeited if the deed or activity actually occurred as originally assessed.
  6. Should a CF member be dismissed with disgrace from the Sovereign's service, the CDS shall recommend to the GG, with any comments on mitigating circumstances, the forfeiture of any:
    1. military honour for meritorious service, good conduct, or efficiency; and
    2. war, operational, special, UN, NATO or international service medal for or after the Second World War.
  7. The Chancellery of Honours will ensure that appropriate governing authorities (foreign governments, the UN, NATO, international agencies, etc.) are consulted concerning forfeiture recommendations.
  8. Should a CF member be convicted of an offence of treason, sedition, mutiny, cowardice, desertion, or a disgraceful offence against morality, the CDS:
    1. shall recommend to the GG the forfeiture of any war, operational, special, UN, NATO or international service medal for or after the Second World War, appending any mitigating comments; and
    2. may recommend to the GG the forfeiture of any honour for meritorious service, good conduct, or efficiency.
  9. Where a CF member is released for misconduct, the CDS may recommend to the GG the forfeiture of:
    1. any honour for meritorious service, good conduct, and efficiency; and
    2. war and OSMs.
  10. Should a CF member be convicted by a civil authority of any serious offence, the CDS may recommend to the GG the forfeiture of any honour for meritorious service, good conduct, or efficiency as well as campaign and service medals. Generally, any sentence involving detention results in a recommendation for forfeiture.
  11. When a CF member is sentenced to dismissal by a service tribunal under KR&O 15.01, release 1(a), Misconduct – Sentenced to Dismissal, and administratively released under 1(b), Misconduct – Service Misconduct, the releasing unit CO shall enforce the provisions of KR&O 18.27 and 18.29 for forfeiture of honours and awards. The unit shall liaise directly with DH&R immediately upon receipt of the Director Military Careers Administration (DMCA) release message.
  12. When a CF member is released under KR&O 15.01, release 2(a), Unsatisfactory Service – Unsatisfactory Conduct, the releasing unit CO shall liaise directly with DH&R immediately upon receipt of the release message for forfeiture determination based upon the particulars of the case. At minimum, units shall provide copies of the punishments and/or a summary of the convictions, whether civilian or military. Upon review of these documents, DH&R will advise the unit if forfeiture is to occur.
  13. In all instances of forfeiture under a 2(a) release, DH&R prepares and forwards to the CDS a Forfeiture Order recommendation. Once signed, DH&R transmits a copy to the unit for action and retention on the member's personnel file.
  14. All forfeited orders, decorations, medals, bars, clasps, commendations, etc., shall be sent to National Defence Headquarters/Directorate of Honours and Recognition (NDHQ/DH&R) under DND 728 for destruction.

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Restoration

  1. Any forfeited honour may be restored. The recommendation for restoration shall be staffed through the chain of command to the responsible committee where appropriate. The circumstances leading to the change shall be fully described.
  2. For war, operational, special, UN, NATO, or international service medals, bars, and numerals, a recommendation may be considered (subject to the concurrence of the governing authority of the medal concerned) where the member:
    1. has performed meritorious service or is otherwise specially recommended; or
    2. if convicted of the offence listed in paragraph 42, but not released or dismissed with disgrace from the Sovereign's service, and has completed:
      1. three years of continuous and honourable service after conviction, or release from imprisonment or detention after conviction, whichever is later; or
      2. less service if released normally before the three-year period expires.
  3. A recommendation for restoration shall not be made under paragraph (2) if the forfeiture was for:
    1. a conviction of treason, sedition, mutiny or cowardice; or
    2. desertion, unless the member subsequent to return from desertion, had a minimum of one day's paid, honourable service in the qualifying location and during the qualifying time period for the medal concerned.

Pardons

  1. Pardons granted for offences are "administrative pardons" and while they preclude further punishment from date of the pardon, they do not erase the offence or any punishments already granted. This means that any time forfeited for the CD would not be restored by a pardon. However, should the deferment period still be in effect when the pardon is granted, it should be deemed completed at the date of the pardon. Similarly, if a campaign or service medal was denied due to an offence, a pardon will not trigger an award of the medal. For more info refer to CD, Chapter 9, Annex T.

Honours refusal and return

  1. Honours are a gift from the Crown and it remains the prerogative of the recipient to accept or decline the honour. When a person refuses an honour for whatever reason, it should be done in writing and a copy should be retained on the person's file. Upon receipt of the written request with refusal, the honour will be formally cancelled and will not be offered again. If already presented, the insignia and scroll shall be returned to DH&R with the request with refusal where applicable. For some honours, such as the ORMM, there are special requirements whereby the member must write to the Secretary to the GG to ask permission to resign from the Order (as per paragraph 25(b) of ORMM Regulations, refer to Chapter 9, Annex A, Appendix 1).
  2. Any person who, having been awarded an honour, later returns it will be informed of the process and consequence of their action and unless the person revisits their decision within 90 days of being notified of the policy, the insignia will be destroyed. If the person wishes to claim back the award later, they will need to make an application for replacement and pay for the insignia as described in Chapter 5.
  3. For a person who accepts an honour but decides not to wear its insignia, refer to Chapter 7.

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Presentation of posthumous honours or outstanding honours

  1. The insignia of honours form part of the estate of a deceased member, as per KR&O 18.09(1)(b), 25.01, 25.04 and 25.045.
  2. The legal beneficiary is the only person who may receive the outstanding medals (posthumous honours and awards) of a deceased member of the CF.
  3. DH&R shall confirm the name of the executor of the estate and the legal beneficiary with the office of the Judge Advocate General (JAG Director of Law Elections, Pensions and Estates).
  4. DH&R shall contact the executor of the estate who shall identify and provide the legal recipient of the honour(s) and make presentation arrangements.
  5. The wishes of the beneficiary are to be respected to the greatest extent possible as to the place, timing and circumstances of the presentation. Where the person might not be comfortable with a public presentation, the insignia may be presented in private. In all cases, posthumous honours and awards to the deceased are never pinned onto the person receiving it as they are not the "recipient". Rather, they are presented in an open case.

Posthumous versus deceased

  1. The term "posthumous" only refers to those awards conferred as a result of or directly related to the death of the recipient. This includes the Sacrifice Medal (SM) as well as any campaign and service medal the deceased may be awarded as a direct consequence of his or her death in accordance with the regulations pertaining to those awards (i.e. the time criteria was not met at time of death but is waived as a result of the death). Similarly, the term "posthumous" would be used for the award of a decoration conferred in relation to an action or specific service during which the person was killed or, as a direct result of which, died (i.e. died of wounds sustained in the action).
  2. The term "deceased" is used for medals awarded where the recipient met the criteria before death. If a person earned a mission medal for having served 30 days in theatre, but dies before the medal was presented, the award of the medal is still based solely on that 30-day period of service and is not related to the timing or circumstances of the actual death. Therefore, the award is made in respect of a "deceased" recipient, rather than it qualifying as a posthumous award. Similarly, if a person is awarded a decoration for an action on a specific date and dies or is killed later, not in connection with the action for which the decoration is awarded (i.e. did not die of wounds sustained in the action which resulted in the award), the award is not a "posthumous" one but rather one to a "deceased" recipient.

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Administration

  1. Canadian national honours are administered by the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall, which is part of the Office of the Secretary to the GG (OSGG). On behalf of the Government, the Chancellery administers national honours committees, announces awards and organizes formal investitures and/or ceremonies. The Chancellery is also responsible for national honours policy and the honours creation process as well as administering the foreign awards approval process. Military nominations for national orders and decorations are processed through the military chain of command to DH&R and submitted to the ORMM Advisory Council or the CFDAC (ref Chapter 2, Annexes A and C). Supported recommendations are then submitted to the CDS for transmission to the Chancellery of Honours for approval. A list of all persons who fully meet the eligibility criteria for campaign and service medals is prepared by DH&R on behalf of the CDS and forwarded to the Chancellery of Honours for signature by the GG. This list is the Instrument that authorises the legal recipient to wear medals (refer to Chapter 7). While the daily administration of certain honours has been delegated by the Chancellery of Honours to other departments such as Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), the Solicitor General and DND, the Chancellery of Honours remains responsible for policy issues for all honours. Questions on honours administration and general honours policy may be addressed to the chain of command.
  2. DH&R will forward questions with respect to national honours administration and honours policy matters to the Chancellery of Honours on behalf of DND and the CF.
    • The Chancellery of Honours
    • Rideau Hall
    • 1 Sussex Drive
    • Ottawa, ON K1A 0A1
    • Toll Free Number: 1-800-465-6890
    • Email: info@gg.ca
  3. The administration of Second World War and Korean War campaign medals (less the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea, which is administered by the Chancellery of Honours) as well as the Memorial Cross, as it relates to retired members of the CF who die as a result of their previous military service, has been delegated to VAC. Questions pertaining to these awards may be addressed to:
  4. The authority for the administration of national honours for serving and retired CF members and certain other eligible Canadian citizens (civilians) has been delegated to DND, DH&R. The responsibilities of DH&R include the administration of honours programs and policies, liaison and coordination with the Chancellery of Honours, provision of advice and recommendations to the different committees and military leaders, responding to queries on military honours matters, increasing the awareness of the Defence Team members and the general public of the military recognition programs and recipients and the provision of the secretariats for:
    1. the CFHPC (ref Chapter 1, Annex A) which deals with policy and proposals for new honours or modification to existing ones;
    2. the ORMM Advisory Council (ref Chapter 2, Annex A);
    3. the DND St. John Honours and Awards Committee (ref Chapter 2, Annex B); and
    4. the CFDAC (ref Chapter 2, Annex C); which deals with nominations of CF members for decorations (Military Valour, Bravery, MSDs and Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation).
  5. DH&R administers the initial issue and replacement of post-Second World War (except Korea), campaign and service medals, and long service medals to serving, retired, deceased members of the CF, those members of allied forces and any Canadian civilians working under the authority of the CF. DH&R has also been delegated responsibility for the administration of certain medals, namely the OSM and CPSM, on behalf of the GC for all eligible Canadian citizens (refer to Chapters 4 and 5).
  6. DH&R also manages the administration of the CF scripts and scrolls for newly commissioned, promoted and appointed CF members (refer to Chapter 8).
  7. Questions pertaining to honours and awards for serving members of the CF and for post-Second World War (except Korea) campaign, service and long service and good conduct awards to retired service members may be addressed to DH&R (serving members shall address their queries through the normal chain of command):
    • Director Honours and Recognition National Defence Headquarters
    • MGen George R. Pearkes Building
    • 101 Colonel By Drive
    • Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2
    • Toll Free Number: 1-877-741-8332
    • Email: DH&R_DDHRforces.gc.ca

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Recipient's details

  1. Honours and awards are an official and formal way to recognize individuals for their courage, merit or service and the recipient's rank, name and other details shall reflect the legal and formal aspect of this recognition. The substantive rank, legal full name and post-nominals used in all formal documents shall be those held by the member at the time the award is fixed, which represents a specific moment in time as follows:
    1. For honours recognizing long-term merit, such as the ORMM or Order of St. John, the award is fixed on the date of the nomination by the chain of command;
    2. For honours and award specific to one act or service, the award is fixed on the date of the incident or the date of the end of the service concerned;
    3. For campaign, service and long service medals, the award is fixed on the date eligibility is fully met; and
    4. For Commonwealth and foreign honours, the award is fixed on the date of approval by the GC.
  2. Rank. Only the substantive rank held at the time the award is fixed shall be used. Acting While So Employed, Acting Lacking (see special rule for ORMM at Chapter 9, Annexe A, paragraph 11), Temporary, Relinquished and other ranks will not be used. The sole exception is for posthumous awards for deaths which occurred on or after 6 July 2009 in which case the highest rank, regardless of status, shall be used. Only official ranks as per the National Defence Act (NDA) (schedule to Section 21), and as provided in Volume 1 – Chapter 3 – Article 3.01 of KR&O – RANKS AND DESIGNATION OF RANKS, and related OIC, will be used for honours and awards purposes as follows:
    1. Royal Canadian Navy (RCN):
      1. Pre-Unification: Column 2;
      2. 1 February 1⁠968 to 17 September 1⁠986⁠: Column 1;
      3. 18 September 1986 to 4 September 2020⁠: Column 2; and
      4. From 5 September 2020: Column 2 for officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Members (NCMs). For Junior NCMs, refer to CANFORGEN 112/50 as Volume 1 – Chapter 3 – Article 3.01 of KR&O has yet to be amended.
    2. Canadian Army (CA):
      1. Pre-Unification: Column 3;
      2. 1 February 1⁠968 to 4 June 2⁠015⁠: Column 1;
      3. After 5 June 2⁠015⁠: Column 3.
    3. Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF);
      1. Pre-Unification: Column 4;
      2. 1 Feb 1⁠968 to 4 June 2⁠015⁠: Column 1;
      3. After 5 June 2⁠015⁠: Column 4.
  3. Rank for Canadian Rangers: While Canadian Rangers may be assigned other ranks, they may only legally hold the rank of Ranger and this rank will be used for honours and awards purposes.
  4. Name. The full complete given names will be used as they appear on the birth certificate of the member, which must be reflected on the Member's Personnel Record Résumé (MPRR). Abbreviated names or nicknames will not be used. The last name will be the legal name of the member at the crystallization. Subsequent change in the name as a result of marriage, divorce or legal name change has no effect on honours already granted as they represent a specific moment in time and therefore, insignia and scrolls will not be changed retroactively.
  5. Post-nominals. The authorized post-nominals held by the person at the crystallization will be used (refer to Chapter 7). It should be noted that Rideau Hall adds the post-nominals of the honour being conferred in their documents but DND uses those at time the award is fixed.
  6. The information at the crystallization will be used on the instrument of award, official records such as registers, Canada Gazette entries, annual reports, press releases, investiture programs, on the scroll or certificate, and engraved on the insignia where applicable. The updated information (promoted rank, updated post-nominals, etc.) will be used in any correspondence with the recipients and in the Master of Ceremonies (MC) text written for the investiture or presentation ceremony (see Figure 1-1).
Figure 1-1 Use of rank (substantive only), legal name, post-nominals and status (deceased or retired) for honours and awards
Type of honour/use Engraving on insignia, inscription on scroll, instrument of award and official record (including registers, Canada Gazette entries, annual report, etc) CANFORGEN publication Investiture press release and programme Correspondence, investiture MC text
Orders As of date of nomination As of date of nomination As of date of nomination Current
Decorations, MID and Commendations As of date of incident As of date of incident As of date of incident Current
Campaign and service medals and the CD As of date of eligibility N/A Current Current
Commonwealth and foreign awards As of date of approval by the Government of Canada As of date of approval by the Government of Canada Current Current

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Award errors and policy changes

  1. As with the administration of any program, it is acknowledged that errors occasionally occur in the administration of honours. Mistakes may arise because of miscalculation in the research for entitlement, lack of clarity or change in the eligibility criteria, lack of reliable information on a nomination, technical or human error. Most of these errors are the direct result of poor submission source documentation and/or the information in Guardian is not up to date. When a mistake occurs and a medal is issued in error, it will be recovered. DH&R does not proactively search for honours issued in error but when a case is brought to the attention of DH&R, actions will be taken to investigate and where necessary, to rescind the honour in question. A medal issued in error shall not be used as a precedent to justify the award of the medal to others in similar circumstances.
  2. When, due to a policy change, a service which was previously deemed eligible for an honour no longer is, the awards issued prior to the policy change remain valid and will not be rescinded but from the date of change onwards, no more awards will be made for this service, either as initial issue or replacement.
  3. When an award has been issued with an engraving error, the new award will not be issued until the original award has been returned to DH&R. CF units have 90 days from date of the 728 to report any errors. Past this time period, a replacement application will have to be initiated by the requesting unit and replacement cost will be charged to have the error corrected.

Leadership responsibility

  1. It is the responsibility of every CO, Formation Commander or Commander of a Command to ensure timely nominations and applications are submitted for their deserving and eligible personnel, that the regulations and criteria for honours and awards, including honourable service, are adhered to and that awards worn by CF members under their authority are duly authorized as reflected on the member's Guardian MPRR. For contentious cases, the matter should be referred to DH&R.
  2. All honours and awards authorized by the Crown shall be recorded on the MPRR.

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