Regulations

Short Title

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Meritorious Service Decorations Regulations.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations,

"citation" means a written document attesting the performance by a person referred to in section 5 of that person's duty in an exemplary fashion; (citation)

"Cross" means the Meritorious Service Cross referred to in paragraph 3(a); (Croix)

"Medal" means the Meritorious Service Medal referred to in paragraph 3(b); (Médaille)

"Meritorious Service Decoration" means the Cross or the Medal. (décoration pour service méritoire)

Designation

3. (1) The Meritorious Service Decorations shall consist of

(a) a Cross designated the "Meritorious Service Cross"; and

(b) a Medal designated the "Meritorious Service Medal".

(2) The Meritorious Service Decorations shall be awarded in two divisions: a military division and a civil division.

Description

4. (1) The Cross shall consist of a Greek cross of silver

(a) the ends of which shall be splayed and convexed;

(b) that is ensigned with the Royal Crown;

(c) on the obverse of which shall appear, centred, a maple leaf within a circle;

(d) between the arms of which shall appear a laurel wreath; and

(e) on the reverse of which shall appear, centred, the Royal Cypher and within a double circle the words "MERITORIOUS SERVICE MÉRITOIRE".

(2) Each subsequent award of the Cross shall be indicated by a silver bar having a maple leaf in the centre, which bar shall be attached to 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.

(3) The Medal shall consist of a circular medal of silver

(a) ensigned with the Royal Crown;

(b) on the obverse of which shall appear, centred, the design of the Cross; and

(c) on the reverse of which shall appear, centred, the Royal Cypher and within a double circle the words "MERITORIOUS SERVICE MÉRITOIRE".

(4) Each subsequent award of the Medal shall be indicated by a silver bar having a maple leaf in the centre, which bar shall be attached to the ribbon from which the Medal is suspended, and where two or more bars are worn those bars shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.

(5) When awarded in the military division,

(a) the Cross shall be suspended from a blue ribbon 32 mm wide that has a white stripe 6 mm wide centred on the outer third of each side of the ribbon; and

(b) the Medal shall be suspended from a blue ribbon 32 mm wide that has a white stripe 6 mm wide, having a blue stripe 1 mm wide in its centre, centred on the outer third of each side of the ribbon.

(6) When awarded in the civil division,

(a) the Cross shall be suspended from a blue ribbon 32 mm wide that has a central white stripe 2 mm wide and a white stripe 6 mm wide centred on the outer third of each side of the ribbon; and

(b) the Medal shall be suspended from a blue ribbon 32 mm wide that has a central white stripe 2 mm wide and a white stripe 6 mm wide, having a blue stripe 1 mm wide in its centre, centred on the outer third of each side of the ribbon.

Eligibility

5. (1) The following persons are eligible to be awarded a Meritorious Service Decoration in the military division:

(a) a member of the Canadian Forces;

(b) a person who holds an honorary appointment made in accordance with article 3.06 of the Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Canadian Forces;

(c) a member of a Commonwealth or foreign armed force who is serving with or in conjunction with the Canadian Forces; and

(d) a member of a military force of a country allied with Canada.

(2) Any person, whether or not they are a Canadian citizen, is eligible to be awarded a Meritorious Service Decoration in the civil division.

Conditions of Award

6. (1) The Cross may be awarded in the military division to any person referred to in subsection 5(1) for the performance, on or after June 11, 1984, of a military deed or a military activity in an outstandingly professional manner or of an uncommonly high standard that brings considerable benefit or great honour to the Canadian Forces.

(2) The Cross may be awarded in the civil division to a person for the performance, on or after June 11, 1984, of a deed or activity in an outstandingly professional manner or of an uncommonly high standard that brings considerable benefit or great honour to Canada.

(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), the Governor General, on the recommendation of the Civil or Military Advisory Committee, may make an exceptional award of the Cross to a person for a deed that the person performed prior to June 11, 1984 and for which that person has not previously received an honour referred to in the Order of Precedence determined by the Governor in Council.

7. (1) The Medal may be awarded in the military division to any person referred to in subsection 5(1) for the performance, on or after June 11, 1984, of a military deed or a military activity in a highly professional manner or of a very high standard that brings benefit or honour to the Canadian Forces.

(2) The Medal may be awarded in the civil division to a person for the performance, on or after June 11, 1984, of a deed or activity in a highly professional manner or of a very high standard that brings benefit or honour to Canada.

(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), the Governor General, on the recommendation of the Civil or Military Advisory Committee, may make an exceptional award of the Medal to a person for a deed that the person performed prior to June 11, 1984 and for which that person has not previously received an honour referred to in the Order of Precedence determined by the Governor in Council.

Advisory Committees

8. (1) A Military Advisory Committee is established to consider the award of Meritorious Service Decorations in the military division, and that Committee shall be composed of

(a) a person appointed as a member of the Committee by the Governor General;

(b) the Chief of the Defence Staff, who shall be the chairperson of the Committee; and

(c) not more than four additional persons who are members of the Canadian Forces, appointed as members of the Committee by the Chief of the Defence Staff.

(1.1) Despite paragraph (1)(b), the Chief of the Defence Staff may designate one of the members appointed under paragraph (1)(c) to be the chairperson of the Committee.

(2) The Military Advisory Committee shall

(a) consider the nomination of any person referred to in subsection 5(1) for the award of a Meritorious Service Decoration;

(b) consider whether nominees are eligible to be awarded a Meritorious Service Decoration;

(c) submit to the Chief of the Defence Staff the names of eligible nominees who meet the conditions of award of a Meritorious Service Decoration; and

(d) advise the Chief of the Defence Staff on any other matters that may be referred to the Committee for consideration.

9. (1) A Civil Advisory Committee is established to consider the award of Meritorious Service Decorations in the civil division and that Committee shall be composed of

(a) the Deputy Secretary to the Governor General, Chancellery of Honours, who shall be the chairperson of the Committee;

(b) a senior representative of the Privy Council appointed as a member of the Committee by the Governor General;

(c) a senior representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development appointed as a member of the Committee by the Governor General;

(d) a senior representative of the Department of National Defence appointed as a member of the Committee by the Governor General; and

(e) not more than seven other persons appointed as members of the Committee by the Governor General.

(2) The Governor General appoints members of the Committee who are referred to in paragraphs (1)(b) to (e) for a term of three years and may extend their term for a maximum period of three years for each reappointment.

(3) A member of the Committee who is referred to in one of paragraphs (1)a) to d) 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.

(4) The Committee shall

(a) consider nominations for the award of a Meritorious Service Decoration;

(b) submit to the Governor General a list of the persons nominated who, in the opinion of the Committee, meet the conditions of award of a Meritorious Service Decoration; and

(c) advise the Governor General on any other matters that may be referred to the Committee for consideration.

Nomination Procedure

10. (1) In respect of awards in the military division, the Chief of the Defence Staff shall establish the procedure for the submission to the Military Advisory Committee established under section 8 of the name of a person referred to in subsection 5(1) for the award of a Meritorious Service Decoration.

(2) On receipt of the names of eligible nominees from the Military Advisory Committee, the 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 Meritorious Service Decoration.

11. (1)In respect of awards in the civil division, any person may submit, in writing, to the Director of Honours, Chancellery of Honours, the nomination of a person for the award of a Meritorious Service Decoration.

(2) The Director of Honours shall transmit to the Civil Advisory Committee established under section 9 the name of any person, submitted under subsection (1), who is eligible for the award of a Meritorious Service Decoration.

Awards

12. (1) The award of a Meritorious Service Decoration shall be made by an instrument signed by the Governor General.

(2) A Meritorious Service Decoration may be awarded posthumously.

Presentation

13. A Meritorious Service Decoration shall be presented by the Governor General at a formal investiture.

14. Notwithstanding section 13, the Governor General may designate an appropriate person to present a Meritorious Service Decoration.

Post-nominals

15. A recipient of the Cross is entitled to use the letters "M.S.C." after the name of the recipient on all occasions when the use of post-nominals is customary.

16. A recipient of the Medal is entitled to use the letters "M.S.M." after the name of the recipient on all occasions when the use of post-nominals is customary.

Wearing of Decorations

17. The Meritorious Service Decorations shall be worn in accordance with the Order of Precedence determined by the Governor in Council and in the manner described in publications issued by the Chancellery.

18. Where the undress ribbon is worn, each subsequent award of the Cross or the Medal shall be indicated by a silver maple leaf, and where two or more maple leaves are worn, the leaves shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.

19. A recipient of a Meritorious Service Decoration may wear a miniature medal, to be one-half the size of the Decoration, on all occasions when the wearing of miniature decorations is customary.

Cancellation and Reinstatement

20. (1) The Governor General may, on the advice of the Chief of the Defence Staff or of the Civil Advisory Committee referred to in section 9, cancel or annul the award of a Meritorious Service Decoration, and may restore the award of a Meritorious Service Decoration that has been so cancelled or annulled.

(2) Where the award of a Meritorious Service Decoration is cancelled or annulled under subsection (1), the name of the recipient of the Meritorious Service Decoration shall be deleted from the register referred to in paragraph 21 (g).

Administration

21. The Director of Honours, The Chancellery of Honours, shall

(a) verify the circumstances prompting a nomination for the award of a Meritorious Service Decoration in the civil division and present the nomination to the Civil Advisory Committee referred to in section 9;

(b) prepare the instruments of award for signature by the Governor General;

(c) obtain citations for military personnel from the Department of National Defence;

(d) prepare citations for the civilian nominees;

(e) arrange for the names of persons receiving a Meritorious Service Decoration to be published in the Canada Gazette;

(f) acquire the insignia and have the names of the persons honoured engraved on them;

(g) maintain a register containing the name of each person honoured and such other records relating to awards of the Meritorious Service Decorations as are considered necessary;

(h) prepare certificates of award for presentation to the persons honoured;

(i) arrange for investiture ceremonies; and

(j) perform such other functions in respect of awards of the Meritorious Service Decorations as the Governor General may require.

General

22. Nothing in these Regulations limits the right of the Governor General to exercise all powers and authorities of the Sovereign of Canada in respect of the Meritorious Service Decorations.

23. The Governor General may make ordinances respecting the Meritorious Service Decorations.