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Category: Canada

The Order of New Brunswick

The Order of New Brunswick (Ordre du Nouveau Brunswick in French), instituted in 2000, a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The Order is described as the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the New Brunswick Crown.

The Order of New Brunswick is intended to honor any current or former longtime resident of New Brunswick who has demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, having made “outstanding contributions to the social, cultural or economic well-being of New Brunswick and its residents“. Canadian citizenship is a requirement, and those who are elected or appointed members of a governmental body are ineligible as long as they hold office.

The Order of New Brunswick Design

New Members are presented with the order’s insignia. The badge consists of a gold medallion in the form of a stylized viola cucullata (or purple violet)—the official provincial flower.

The obverse is made in violet enamel with gold edging, and bearing at its center the escutcheon of the arms of New Brunswick, surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in blue, red, and gold. Men wear the medallion suspended from this ribbon at the collar, and women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest.

The Order of Manitoba

The Order of Manitoba (Ordre du Manitoba in French), instituted in 1999, is a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The Order is intended to honor current or former Manitoba residents for conspicuous achievements in any field. It’s the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the Manitoba Crown.

The Order of Manitoba is awarded to those who has demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, “benefiting in an outstanding manner the social, cultural or economic well being of Manitoba and its residents“. 

There are no limits on how many people can belong to the order, though inductions are limited to eight per year. Canadian citizenship is a requirement to be awarded the Order.

The Order of Manitoba Design

New Members are presented with an insignia. The badge is a gold medallion in the form of a stylized crocus—the official provincial flower.

The obverse is made in white enamel with gold edging, and bears at its center the escutcheon of the arms of Manitoba surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in red, blue, and white. Men wear the medallion suspended from a ribbon at the collar, and women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest. 

The Order of Prince Edward Island

The Order of Prince Edward Island (Ordre de Île-du-Prince-Édouard in French), instituted in 1996, is a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island.

The Order is intended to honor current or former Prince Edward Island residents for conspicuous achievements in any field. It’s considered the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the Prince Edward Island Crown. The Order of Prince Edward Island is intended to honor who have demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, having made “remarkable contributions to the social, economic and cultural life of [Prince Edward Island] and its people“.

The Order of Prince Edward Island Design

New Members of the order are presented with an insignia. The main badge, called the Medal of Merit, is a gold roundel medallion.

The obverse is made in enamel and bears, at its center, the escutcheon of the arms of Prince Edward Island surrounded by a blue collar with the words “MERIT • PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND”.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in green, white, and rust, reflecting the colors of the province’s foliage and oxidized soil.

Men wear the medallion suspended from the ribbon at the collar and women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest.

The Star of Courage

The Star of Courage (Étoile du Courage in French) is a decoration established on 1 May 1972 and  the second highest award for bravery within the Canadian system of honors. Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of her Cabinet under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, created the Star of Courage to recognize acts of great bravery. 

The medal is presented to both living and deceased individuals deemed to have performed “acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril” and grants recipients the ability to use post-nominal letters SC (for Anglophones) and EC (for Francophones). 

Any person, living or deceased, may be nominated for the Star of Courage. It’s not necessary for the person who carried out the act be a Canadian.

The Star of Courage Design

The badge is a 38 millimeters (1.5 in) wide silver compass star Celeste with a maple leaf in each angle.

On the obverse is a gold roundel bearing a maple leaf surrounded by a laurel wreath. The reverse bears on the upper arm the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch beneath a St. Edward’s Crown, symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor, and the inscription COURAGE. Below this is engraved the name and rank of the recipient.

Mean wear the medallion on the left chest, on a 38 millimeters (1.5 in) wide, red with two vertical blue stripes ribbon. Women, on a ribbon bow and pinned to the left chest.

The Star of Military Valor (Canada)

The Star of Military Valor (SMV) is a decoration presented to members of the Canadian Forces for distinguished and valiant service.

The Star of Military Valor (Étoile de la vaillance militaire in French) is a decoration established on 2 February 1993 and presented to members of the Canadian Forces for distinguished and valiant service.

Within the Canadian system of honors, the Star of Military Valor is the second highest award for military valor, and one of three honors for military valor gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council. Recipients receive the ability to use the post-nominal letters SMV.

The Order is presented to both living and deceased members of the Canadian Forces who have demonstrated “distinguished and valiant service in the presence of the enemy“.

The Star of Military Valor Design

The Order is a gold star with four points with a maple leaf in each of the angles.

On the obverse, superimposed in the center, is a gold maple leaf on a sanguine field surrounded by a silver wreath of laurel. On the reverse is a Royal Cypher and Crown and the inscription “PRO VALORE”. Below hem is engraved the rank and name of the recipient.

The ribbon is crimson and measures 32 millimeters in width. It has two vertical white stripes 4 mm in width each. The Star is suspended by means of a plain gold link. The bar is a plain gold bar with a maple leaf in the center.

The Alberta Order of Excellence

The Alberta Order of Excellence (or Ordre d’excellence de l’Alberta in French) is a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of Alberta. The Order was instituted in 1979 and is intended to honor current or former Alberta residents for conspicuous achievements in any field. it’s described as the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the Canadian Crown in right of Alberta.

Canadian citizenship is a requirement and only 10 people may be inducted each year. The process of finding qualified individuals begins with submissions from the public to the Council of the Alberta Order of Excellence.

The Alberta Order of Excellence Design

Members of the Order are presented with an insignia. The main emblem of the Alberta Order of Excellence is a 51 millimeters (2.0 in) wide gold cross pattée medallion with the equidistant arms consisting of a transparent blue enamel over gold patterned to resemble prairie wheat.

One the obverse, the cross is layered between a burnished gold disk bearing roses and rose leaves, and another roundel with the coat of arms of Alberta on a red enamel background, surrounded by a white circle bearing the inscription “The Alberta Order of Excellence”. On the reverse is a maple leaf supported by a sheaf of wheat.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in blue, burgundy, white, and gold, reflecting the colors of the provincial coat of arms. Men wear the medallion suspended from the ribbon at the collar, and women on a ribbon bow at the left chest. 

The Order of British Columbia

The Order of British Columbia (Ordre de la Colombie-Britannique in French) is a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Order was Instituted in 1989 and it’s administered by the Governor-in-Council.

The Order of British Columbia is intended to honor current or former British Columbia residents for conspicuous achievements in any field. It’s the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the British Columbia Crown.

The process of finding qualified individuals begins with submissions from the public to the Order of British Columbia’s advisory council. Posthumous nominations are not accepted.

The Order of British Columbia Design

New Members of the Order are presented with an insignia consisting of a gold medallion in the form of a stylized flower of the Pacific Dogwood—the official provincial flower.

The obverse is made in white enamel with gold edging, and bears at its center the escutcheon of the arms of British Columbia, all surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor.

The ribbon has vertical stripes in green, white, blue, and gold, reflecting the colors of the provincial coat of arms.

Men wear the medallion suspended from a ribbon at the collar, and women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest.

The Order of Ontario

The Order of Ontario (Ordre de l’Ontario in French), instituted in 1986, is the most prestigious official honor in the Canadian province of Ontario. This civilian order is administered by the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council and is intended to honor current or former Ontario residents who have demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, demonstrating “the best of Ontario’s caring and diverse society and [whose] lives have benefited society in Ontario and elsewhere”.

Canadian citizenship is not a requirement to be awarded the Order of Ontario. The process of finding qualified individuals begins with submissions from the public to the Ontario Honours and Awards Secretariat. The new Members are entitled to use the post-nominal letters OOnt.

 

The Order of Ontario Design

New Members of the Order are presented with an insignia. The main badge is a gold medallion in the form of a stylized trillium, the official provincial flower.

The obverse of the medal is made in white enamel with gold edging, bearing at its center the escutcheon of the arms of Ontario, surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor. 

The reverse has the name of the Member engraved, along with the date of his or her investiture.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in red, green, white, and gold, reflecting the colors within the provincial coat of arms.

The insignia is worn suspended from this ribbon at the collar (for men) while women may carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest.

The Saskatchewan Order of Merit

The Saskatchewan Order of Merit (Ordre du Mérite de la Saskatchewan in French) is a a civilian honor instituted in 1985 for merit in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honor current or former Saskatchewan residents who have demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, improving the “social, cultural and economic well-being of the province and its residents”.

The process of finding qualified individuals begins with call for nominations put out each spring by the Saskatchewan Honors Advisory Council.

The Saskatchewan Order of Merit Design

Members of the Order are presented with the insignia at a ceremony held either at Government House in Regina or at a venue in Saskatoon.

The main emblem of the order is a silver medallion in the form of a six pointed star, an abstract rendition of a western red lilly, the province’s official flower.

The obverse is coated in white enamel and bears the escutcheon of Her Majesty’s Arms in right of Saskatchewan within a circular ribbon that displays the provincial motto—Multis E Gentibus Vires (From many peoples strength). This is topped by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor.

This ribbon is green-gold-green with a vertical striped pattern. It’s held at the collar for men, and on a bow pinned at the left chest for women. 

The National Order of Quebec

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Institution: 26 June 1902
  • Country: Commonwealth Realms, Canada

The National Order of Quebec (l’Ordre national du Québec in French) is a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec. It was instituted in 1984 and administered by the Governor-in-Council to current or former Quebec residents for conspicuous achievements in any field. The Order is the highest honor in Quebec.

The order contains three grades, each with accordant post-nominal letters:

  • Grand Officer (grand officier/grande officières) (GOQ)
  • Officer (officier/officières) (OQ)
  • Knight (chevalier/chevalière) (CQ)

The National Order of Quebec Design

Members are presented with various insignia of the organization: a medallion, miniature, and button. They were all designed by Madeleine Dansereau, who was inspired by the heraldic elements of the provincial flag (the colors blue and white for the ribbon and the fleur-de-lis).

The badge of a Grand Officer is two 18kt gold plates in the shape of a cross. They are formed by two 60 millimeters (2.4 in) by 40 millimeters (1.6 in) arms, symmetrically superimposed atop one another. The obverse is a high-polish, rusticated surface with a white enamel fleur-de-lis on the lower left corner. On the reverse is inscribed the order’s motto—Honneur au peuple du Québec (homage to the people of Quebec) and a serial number.

The badge for Officers is nearly identical but made of arms 50 millimeters (2.0 in) long by 25 millimeters (0.98 in) wide. Knights have a brushed silver medallion with a 40 millimeters (1.6 in) diameter. Each member also receives miniature versions of their insignia.