Appendix 1 – Regulations governing the award of Canadian Bravery Decorations
(Reprint of Regulations as amended by the following Orders in Council: P.C. 1972-0811, 1997-0123, 2005-1158, 2007-1889 and 2015-1051)
Regulations
Interpretation
- The definitions in this section apply in these Regulations.
- "Canadian bravery decoration" means the Cross of Valour, the Star of Courage or the Medal of Bravery. (décoration canadienne pour acte de bravoure)
- "Committee" means the Canadian Decorations Advisory Committee maintained under subsection 7(1). (Conseil)
Application
- These Regulations apply in respect of the Canadian bravery decorations.
Cross of Valour
- The Cross of Valour shall be awarded for acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril.
- The Cross of Valour shall consist of a gold cross of four equal limbs, as follows:
- the obverse shall be enamelled red and edged in gold with, superimposed in the centre, a gold maple leaf surrounded by a gold wreath of laurel; and
- on the reverse, the Royal Cypher and the words VALOUR / VAILLANCE shall appear.
Star of Courage
- The Star of Courage shall be awarded for acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril.
- The Star of Courage shall consist of a silver star of four points with a maple leaf in each of the four angles, as follows:
- on the obverse, superimposed in the centre, there shall be a gold maple leaf surrounded by a gold wreath of laurel; and
- on the reverse, the Royal Cypher and the word COURAGE shall appear.
Medal of Bravery
- The Medal of Bravery shall be awarded for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
- The Medal of Bravery shall consist of a circular silver medal, as follows:
- on the obverse, there shall be a maple leaf surrounded by a wreath of laurel; and
- on the reverse, the Royal Cypher and the words BRAVERY / BRAVOURE shall appear.
Eligibility
- A person is eligible to be awarded a Canadian bravery decoration if that person is:
- a Canadian citizen; or
- not a Canadian citizen but:
- has performed in Canada an act for which a bravery decoration may be awarded under these Regulations, or
- has performed outside Canada an act for which a bravery decoration may be awarded under these Regulations and which merits recognition by Canada as being an act performed in the interest of Canada.
Canadian Decorations Advisory Committee
- There shall be maintained a Canadian Decorations Advisory Committee comprising:
- the Deputy Secretary to the Governor General, Chancellery of Honours, who shall be the Chairperson of the Committee;
- the Clerk of the Privy Council;
- the Deputy Minister of National Defence;
- the Deputy Minister of Transport;
- the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and
- not more than four additional members to be appointed as members of the Committee by the Governor General.
- A member of the Committee referred to in subsection (1) may designate an alternate to act as a member of the Committee in the event that the member is absent or unable to act in that capacity.
- There shall be maintained a Canadian Decorations Advisory Committee comprising:
- The Committee shall:
- consider nominations under section 9 for the award of a Canadian bravery decoration;
- determine whether nominees are eligible to be awarded a Canadian bravery decoration;
- compile and submit to the Governor General lists of those nominees who, in the opinion of the Committee, meet the criteria for the award of a Canadian bravery decoration; and
- advise the Governor General on such other matters concerning the award of Canadian bravery decorations as the Governor General may refer to the Committee for consideration.
Nominations
- Any person or organization may submit to the Director of Honours, Chancellery of Honours, for consideration by the Committee a nomination of a person for the award of a Canadian bravery decoration.
- Nominations must be submitted within two years after the day on which:
- the incident or act of bravery occurred; or
- a public entity, including a court, a quasi-judicial tribunal or a coroner, has concluded its review concerning the circumstances surrounding the incident or act of bravery.
Award of decorations
- Awards of Canadian bravery decorations shall be made by instrument signed by the Governor General.
- A Canadian bravery decoration may be awarded posthumously.
Presentation
- Canadian bravery decorations shall be presented by the Governor General at a formal investiture.
- Notwithstanding section 11, the Governor General may designate an appropriate person to present Canadian bravery decorations.
Post-nominal letters
- A recipient of a Canadian bravery decoration is entitled to use the following post-nominal letters on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary:
- where the recipient has been awarded the Cross of Valour, the letters “CV”;
- where the recipient has been awarded the Star of Courage, the letters “SC”; and
- where the recipient has been awarded the Medal of Bravery, the letters “MB”.
Wearing of decorations
- The Cross of Valour shall be worn in the sequence prescribed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive and in the following manner:
- by men, suspended from a red ribbon around the neck; and
- by women, below the left shoulder suspended from a red ribbon fashioned into a bow.
- The Cross of Valour shall be worn in the sequence prescribed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive and in the following manner:
- The Star of Courage shall be worn in the sequence prescribed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive and in the following manner:
- by men, on the left breast, suspended from a ribbon of red with two blue stripes; and
- by women, below the left shoulder, suspended from a ribbon of red with two blue stripes that is fashioned into a bow.
- The Medal of Bravery shall be worn in the sequence prescribed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive and in the following manner:
- by men, on the left breast, suspended from a ribbon of red with three blue stripes; and
- by women, below the left shoulder, suspended from a ribbon of red with three blue stripes that is fashioned into a bow.
- A person to whom a Canadian bravery 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.
Cancellation and reinstatement
- Cancellation and reinstatement
- The Governor General may cancel the award of any Canadian bravery decoration or restore any Canadian bravery decoration for which the award was cancelled.
- Where the award of a Canadian bravery decoration is cancelled, the name of the person to whom the decoration was awarded shall be deleted from the register referred to in paragraph 17(f).
Administration
- The Director of Honours, Chancellery of Honours, shall:
- verify the circumstances prompting a nomination for the award of a Canadian bravery decoration and present the nomination to the Committee;
- prepare the instruments of award for signature by the Governor General;
- prepare citations for the recipients;
- arrange for the names of persons receiving a Canadian bravery decoration to be published in the Canada Gazette;
- acquire the insignia and have the names of the persons honoured engraved on them;
- maintain a register containing the name of each person honoured and such other records relating to awards of the Canadian bravery decorations as are considered necessary;
- prepare certificates of award for presentation to the recipients;
- arrange for presentation ceremonies; and
- perform such other functions in respect of awards of the Canadian bravery decorations as the Governor General may require.
General
- Nothing in these Regulations limits the right of the Governor General to exercise all powers and authorities of His Majesty in respect of the Canadian bravery decorations.
- The Governor General may make ordinances respecting the Canadian bravery decorations.
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