Orders, Decorations, and Medals of Canada - Medals

Medals

Canada has various types of medals, some part of the official honours system and others not. Those in the former category tend to be related to state organisations, such as police forces, fire protection, or the military. These can be further sub-categorised into long service and campaign medals. Others are awarded to military and civilians alike for anniversaries—the Canadian Centennial or the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, for example—or for community service. Still others are awarded by international organisations and integrated into the Canadian honours structure; the United Nations Medals and North Atlantic Treaty Organization medals, for example. As medals are awarded more widely than orders or decorations, they are typically presented by higher-ranking officials in the organization the recipient is a part of. Only the Canadian Forces Decoration grants a holder the use of post-nominal letters.