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Appendix 1 – Regulations governing the Military Valour Decorations (MVDs)

(Reprint of Regulations annexed to Letters Patent creating Military Valour Decorations, P.C. 1992-2577 on 10 December 1992)

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Short title

  1. These Regulations may be cited as the Military Valour Decoration Regulations.

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Interpretation

  1. In these Regulations:
    • “Advisory Committee” means the Military Valour Decorations Advisory Committee established by paragraph 8. (comité consultatif)
    • “citation” means a written document attesting a deed of military valour performed by a person referred to in paragraph 7. (citation)
    • “Cross” means the Victoria Cross awarded pursuant to paragraph 4.a. (Croix)
    • “enemy” means a hostile armed force, and includes armed mutineers, armed rebels, armed rioters and armed pirates. (ennemi)
    • “Medal” means the Medal of Military Valour awarded pursuant to paragraph 6.a. (Médaille)
    • “Military Valour Decoration” means the Cross, the Star or the Medal. (Décoration de la vaillance militaire)
    • “Star” means the Star of Military Valour awarded pursuant to paragraph 5.a. (Étoile)

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Application

  1. These Regulations apply in respect of the following Military Valour Decorations:
    1. the Victoria Cross;
    2. the Star of Military Valour; and
    3. the Medal of Military Valour.

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Victoria Cross

  1. Victoria Cross
    1. The Victoria Cross shall be awarded for the most conspicuous bravery, a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty, in the presence of the enemy.
    2. The Cross shall consist of a bronze straight armed cross pattée, 38 mm across with raised edges:
      1. on the obverse, a lion guardant standing upon the Royal Crown, and below the Crown, a scroll bearing the inscription "PROVALORE"; and
      2. on the reverse, the date of the act for which the decoration is bestowed is engraved in a raised circle.
    3. The Cross is suspended by means of a plain link from a V below a straight bar ornamented with laurel leaves, on the back of which is engraved the rank, name and unit of the recipient.
    4. Each subsequent award of the Cross shall be indicated by a plain bronze bar ornamented with laurel leaves, which bar shall be attached to the centre of the ribbon from which the Cross is suspended, and where two or more bars are attached those bars shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.

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Star of Military Valour

    1. The Star of Military Valour shall be awarded for distinguished and valiant service in the presence of the enemy.
    2. The Star shall consist of a gold star with four points with a maple leaf in each of the angles:
      1. on the obverse of which, superimposed in the centre, there shall be a gold maple leaf on a sanguine field surrounded by a silver wreath of laurel; and
      2. on the reverse of which the Royal Cypher and Crown and the inscription "PROVALORE" shall appear, below which shall be engraved the rank and name of the recipient.
    3. Each subsequent award of the Star shall be indicated by a plain gold bar with a maple leaf in the centre, which bar shall be attached to the centre of the ribbon from which the Star is suspended, and where two or more bars are attached those bars shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.

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Medal of Military Valour

    1. The Medal of Military Valour shall be awarded for an act of valour or devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.
    2. The Medal shall consist of a circular gold medal:
      1. on the obverse of which there shall be a maple leaf surrounded by a wreath of laurel;
      2. on the reverse of which the Royal Cypher and Crown and the inscription “PROVALORE” shall appear; and
      3. on the edge of which shall be engraved the rank and name of the recipient.
    3. Each subsequent award of the Medal shall be indicated by a plain gold bar with a maple leaf in the centre, which bar shall be attached to the centre of the ribbon from which the Medal is suspended, and where two or more bars are attached those bars shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.

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Eligibility

  1. A person is eligible to be awarded a Military Valour Decoration if that person, on or after January 1, 1993, is:
    1. a member of the Canadian Forces; or
    2. a member of an allied armed force that is serving with or in conjunction with the Canadian Forces.

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Advisory committee

  1. There is hereby established a Military Valour Decorations Advisory Committee comprising:
    1. a person appointed by the Governor General; and
    2. five members of the Canadian Forces who shall be appointed by the Chief of the Defence Staff, one of whom shall be designated by the Chief of the Defence Staff as the chairperson.

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Nomination procedure

  1. The Chief of the Defence Staff shall ensure that mechanisms are established for the submission to the Advisory Committee of nominations for the award of a Military Valour Decoration.
  2. The Advisory Committee shall:
    1. consider nominations for the award of a Military Valour Decoration;
    2. determine whether nominees are eligible to be awarded a Military Valour Decoration;
    3. submit to the Chief of the Defence Staff the names of eligible nominees who, in the opinion of the Advisory Committee, meet the conditions of award of a Military Valour Decoration; and
    4. advise the Chief of the Defence Staff on such other matters concerning the award of the Military Valour Decoration as may be referred to the Advisory Committee for consideration.
  3. On receipt of the names of eligible nominees submitted pursuant to paragraph 10(c), Chief of the Defence Staff shall recommend to the Governor General the nominees who, in the opinion of the Chief of the Defence Staff , meet the conditions of award of a Military Valour Decoration.

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Awards

    1. Awards of Military Valour Decorations shall be made by instrument signed by the Governor General.
    2. The Governor General may, under any circumstances that the Governor General considers appropriate, allocate Military Valour Decorations to Field Commanders, but the award of any Military Valour Decoration so allocated shall be subject to ratification by the Governor General.
    3. A Military Valour Decoration may be awarded posthumously.

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Presentation

  1. The Military Valour Decorations shall be presented by the Governor General at a formal investiture.
  2. Notwithstanding paragraph 13, the Governor General may designate an appropriate person to present a Military Valour Decoration.

Post-nominal letters

  1. A recipient of a Military Valour Decoration is entitled to use the following post-nominal letters on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary:
    1. where the recipient has been awarded the Cross, the letters “VC”;
    2. where the recipient has been awarded the Star, the letters “SMV”; and
    3. where the recipient has been awarded the Medal, the letters “MMV.”

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Wearing of decorations

    1. The Cross shall be worn in the sequence prescribed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive, 1993 and in the following manner:
      1. on the left breast, suspended from a crimson ribbon that is 38 mm in width; and
      2. where the undress ribbon is worn, each award of the Cross shall be indicated by a small representation of the Cross, and where two or more such representations are worn those representations shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.
    2. The Star shall be worn in the sequence prescribed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive, 1993 and in the following manner:
      1. on the left breast, suspended from a crimson ribbon that is 32 mm in width and has two vertical white stripes 4 mm in width; and
      2. where the undress ribbon is worn, each award of the Star shall be indicated by a gold maple leaf, and where two or more maple leaves are worn those maple leaves shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.
    3. The Medal shall be worn in the sequence prescribed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive, 1993 and in the following manner:
      1. on the left breast, suspended from a crimson ribbon that is 32 mm in width and has three vertical white stripes 3 mm in width; and
      2. where the undress ribbon is worn, each award of the Medal shall be indicated by a gold maple leaf, and where two or more maple leaves are worn those maple leaves shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.
  2. A person to whom a Military Valour Decoration has been awarded may wear a miniature of the Decoration, to be one-half the size of the Decoration, on all occasions when the wearing of miniature decorations is customary.

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Cancellation and reinstatement

    1. The Governor General may cancel or annul the award to any person of a Military Valour Decoration, and may restore any Military Valour Decoration the award of which has been so cancelled or annulled.
    2. Where the award of a Military Valour Decoration is cancelled or annulled under paragraph a., the name of the person to whom the Decoration was awarded shall be deleted from the register referred to in paragraph 19(b)(5).

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Administration

    1. The Chief of the Defence Staff shall ensure that a citation in respect of each award of a Military Valour Decoration is provided with the recommendation.
    2. The Director, Honours, Chancellery, Office of the Secretary to the Governor General shall:
      1. prepare the citations received pursuant to paragraph a. for publication;
      2. prepare the Instruments of Award in respect of the Military Valour Decorations for signature by the Governor General;
      3. arrange for the names of the persons receiving the Military Valour Decorations, with the applicable citations, to be published in the Canada Gazette;
      4. acquire the insignia and have the names of the persons honoured engraved on them;
      5. maintain a register containing the name of each person to whom a Military Valour Decoration has been awarded and such records relating to the awards as are deemed necessary;
      6. prepare certificates of award for presentation to the persons honoured;
      7. arrange for investiture ceremonies; and
      8. perform such other functions in respect of the Military Valour Decorations as the Governor General may require.

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General

  1. Nothing in these Regulations limits the right of the Governor General to exercise all powers and authorities of His Majesty in respect of Military Valour Decorations.

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