Permission to Wear Foreign Honours

Summary#

On December 25, 2021, the Chancellery of Honours (on behalf of THE QUEEN) announced that Canadians were given permission to accept and wear a number of Commonwealth and foreign honours. The notice lists the awards, the governments that gave them, and the Canadians who will be allowed to wear them.

What it does#

• Grants unrestricted permission to accept and wear the following foreign honours for the named Canadians:
  • From the Government of the United Kingdom — Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division): Nicholas Davies
  • From the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia — Australian Operational Service Medal – Border Protection: Captain Rodney John Hallsworth, C.D.
  • From the Government of the Republic of Austria — Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria: Clare Hutchinson
  • From the Government of the French Republic:
    • Commander of the National Order of the Legion of Honour: Isabelle Hudon
    • Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit: Jean-Francis Quaglia, Caroline Thierry
    • Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters: Wayne Carter, Avery Rueb
    • National Defence Medal, Bronze Echelon: Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Rosaire Mario Ferland, M.S.M., C.D., Major Alexandre Maurice Mario Ouellet, C.D.
    • Foreign Affairs Medal of Honour, Bronze Echelon: the source lists Myriam Hinojosa Rosa-Maria Oliveira-Torres; the punctuation in the source is unclear about whether this is one person or two separate recipients.
  • From the Government of Japan — Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star: The Honourable David Tkachuk
  • From the Government of the Republic of Korea — Korea Service Medal: Major Gordon James Barr, C.D.; Master Corporal Jean-Ricardo Cleophat; Major Shona Ann Durno Couturier; Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon James Danylchuk, C.D.; Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Glen Hart, C.D.; Warrant Officer Andréanne Lise Micheline Joly, M.M.M., C.D.; Warrant Officer Simon Joseph Pierre Labadie, C.D.; Major Susan Adele Magill, C.D.; Lieutenant-Commander Ji-Hwan Park, C.D.; Colonel Stewart William Taylor, C.D.; Sergeant Chad Edward Walker, C.D.; Captain(N) Robert Jeffrey Watt, C.D.; Major Christian Dominik Whelan, C.D.

Who's affected#

• The Canadians named in the notice (listed above).
• Members of the Canadian Armed Forces listed among the recipients will be able to wear the foreign medals they received.
• Families, employers, and organizations connected to the recipients may notice the public recognition.
• It is not stated whether anyone beyond the listed names is affected.

Why it matters#

• This is a formal, public permission that lets the named Canadians accept and wear medals and honours given by foreign governments.
• Wearing those decorations is a visible sign of recognition for service, achievement, or diplomatic ties.
• For military recipients, it confirms they may display foreign medals with their uniform.
• The notice is largely ceremonial: it documents recognition and helps maintain clear rules about wearing foreign honours.