Wearing of Insignia
The Canadian Honours System has rules in regards to how and when an insignia should be worn. For daytime and evening functions of a less formal nature, such as Remembrance Day, Royal Canadian Legion or regimental gatherings, or some medal presentation ceremonies, guests may wear full-size medals with business suits or blazers. The invitation will indicate whether decorations should be worn.
To learn more about the wearing of insignia, download the brochure, “Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals” (3.99MB - PDF* - Date published online: 2013-06-10)
* Print version - Adobe Acrobat format.
To read Adobe Acrobat® files, you will need to download and install the free Acrobat Reader® software available from Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Some rules:
- Only the actual recipient of an honour can wear its insignia.
- No family member or any person other than the original recipient may wear the insignia of an order, decoration or medal, even posthumously.
- Insignia that are purchased or otherwise acquired may be used for display purposes only and cannot be worn on the person in any form or manner.
- The insignia of orders, decorations and medals not listed in the Order of Precedence, as well as foreign awards, an award of which has not been approved by the government of Canada, shall not be mounted or worn in conjunction with orders, decorations and medals listed in the Order of Precedence.
Two updates concerning the wearing of neck badges (January 2018):
- At an evening function, a recipient who has received a neck badge,* in addition to other honours, may wear (1) both their neck badge and their miniature bar, (2) just their miniature bar, or (3) just their neck badge.
- When a neck badge is worn mounted on a bow at an evening function, either its miniature or its full-size insignia may be worn, and the bow may be made from miniature- or full-width ribbon.
*E.g. Officers and Companions of the Order of Canada
