Editing Order of Canada (section)

==Grades==
{{See also|List of post-nominal letters in Canada#National orders and Commonwealth orders}}
The Canadian monarch, seen as the [[fount of honour]],<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/hon/nat-honour-honneur/index-eng.htm |last=Royal Canadian Mounted Police |title=Honours and Recognition Programs > Canadian National Honours |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |access-date=20 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323114038/http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/hon/nat-honour-honneur/index-eng.htm |archive-date=23 March 2009 }}</ref> is at the apex of the Order of Canada as its Sovereign,{{#tag:ref|In [[royal proclamation]]s issued by the King or in his name, the order is thus referred to as "Our Order of Canada".<ref>{{Citation| last=Elizabeth II| title=Proclamation Summoning Parliament to Meet on May 30, 2011| journal=Canada Gazette| volume=145| issue=1| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| date=28 March 2011| url=http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2011/2011-03-28-x1/html/si-tr34-eng.html| access-date=14 September 2011| archive-date=9 August 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809114906/http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2011/2011-03-28-x1/html/si-tr34-eng.html| url-status=live}}</ref>|group=n|name=Our}}<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=3.1}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=http://archive.gg.ca/honours/nat-ord/oc/index_e.0708071500.asp| last=Office of the Governor General of Canada| author-link=Governor General of Canada| title=Honours > National Orders > Order of Canada| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| access-date=2 March 2010| archive-date=18 January 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118210621/http://archive.gg.ca/honours/nat-ord/oc/index_e.0708071500.asp| url-status=live}}</ref> followed by the governor general, who serves as the fellowship's Chancellor.<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=3.2}}</ref> Thereafter follow three grades, which are, in order of precedence: ''Companion'' ({{langx|fr|link=no|Compagnon}}), ''Officer'' ({{langx|fr|link=no|Officier}}), and ''Member'' ({{langx|fr|link=no|Membre}}), each having accordant [[List of post-nominal letters in Canada|post-nominal letters]] that members are entitled to use.<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=21.1.d}}</ref> Each incumbent governor general is also installed as the Principal Companion for the duration of his or her time in the viceregal post and continues as an extraordinary Companion thereafter.<ref name=EIIR12.1>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=12.1}}</ref> Additionally, any governor general, viceregal consort, former governor general, former viceregal consort, or member of the [[Monarchy of Canada#Royal family and house|Canadian royal family]] may be appointed as an extraordinary Companion, Officer, or Member.<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=9.2}}</ref> Promotions in grade are possible,<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=24}}</ref> though this is ordinarily not done within five years of the initial appointment,{{#tag:ref|For example, [[Denys Arcand]] was created as an Officer of the Order of Canada on 29 December 1986 and was promoted to Companion on 29 October 2004.<ref>{{Harvnb| Office of the Governor General of Canada| 2017| loc=[http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=34 Georges-Henri Denys Arcand, C.C., C.Q.]}}</ref>|group=n|name=DA}}<ref>{{Harvnb| Department of National Defence| 2009| p=2C-2}}</ref> and a maximum of five honorary appointments into any of the three grades may be made by the governor general each year.<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=10.2}}</ref> {{As of|January 2024}}, there have been [[Honorary appointments to the Order of Canada|28 honorary appointments]].<ref name=gg/><ref>{{Harvnb|McCreery|2005|pp=223–224}}</ref>
There were originally, in effect, only two ranks to the Order of Canada: ''Companion'' and the ''[[Medal of Service of the Order of Canada|Medal of Service]]''. There was, however, also a third award, the ''Medal of Courage'', meant to recognize acts of gallantry. This latter decoration fell in rank between the other two levels, but was anomalous within the Order of Canada, being a separate award of a different nature rather than a middle grade of the order. Without ever having been awarded, the Medal of Courage was on 1 July 1972 replaced by the autonomous Cross of Valour and, at the same time, the levels of Officer and Member were introduced, with all existing holders of the Medal of Service created as Officers. Lester Pearson's vision of a three-tiered structure to the order was thus fulfilled.<ref>{{Citation| last=Lochnan| first=Carl| contribution=Culture > Awards > Order of Canada| title=The Canadian Encyclopedia| editor-last=Marsh| editor-first=James H| publisher=Historica Foundation of Canada| url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/order-of-canada| access-date=24 July 2009| archive-date=13 December 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213074842/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/order-of-canada/| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb| McCreery| 2005| pp=126, 149, 166}}</ref>

[[List of Companions of the Order of Canada|Companions of the Order of Canada]] (post-nominals: ''CC'', in {{langx|fr|link=no|Compagnon de l'ordre du Canada}}) have demonstrated the highest degree of merit to Canada and humanity, on either the national or international scene. Up to 15 Companions are appointed annually,<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=15}}</ref> with an imposed limit of 180 living Companions at any given time, not including those appointed as extraordinary Companions or in an honorary capacity.<ref name=EIIR13>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=13}}</ref> {{As of|August 2017}}, there are 146 living Companions.<ref>{{Harvnb| Office of the Governor General of Canada| 2017| loc=[http://www.gg.ca/honours.aspx?ln=&fn=&t=12&p=&c=&pg=1&types=12&advoocHon=Companion&advoocStatus=Living Honour Received: Companion (CC), Field: Living]}}</ref> Since 1994,<ref>{{Citation| last=Office of the Governor General of Canada| author-link=Governor General of Canada| title=Did You Know?| journal=Celebrating Excellence!| volume=Winter 2008| page=3| year=2008| url=http://archive.gg.ca/honours/pdf/OCnewsWinter2008.pdf| access-date=24 July 2009| archive-date=14 September 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914123531/http://archive.gg.ca/honours/pdf/OCnewsWinter2008.pdf| url-status=live}}</ref> substantive members are the only regular citizens who are empowered to administer the [[Oath of Citizenship (Canada)|Canadian Oath of Citizenship]].<ref>{{Citation| last=Institute for Canadian Citizenship| title=Welcoming Canadians: Planning community citizenship ceremonies| publisher=Institute for Canadian Citizenship| date=17 October 2007| url=http://www.icc-icc.ca/en/assets/pdf/CeremonyHandbook.pdf| page=14| access-date=1 January 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706183120/http://www.icc-icc.ca/en/assets/pdf/CeremonyHandbook.pdf| archive-date=6 July 2011| url-status=dead}}</ref>

Officers of the Order of Canada (post-nominals: ''OC'', in {{langx|fr|link=no|Officier de l'ordre du Canada}}) have demonstrated an outstanding level of talent and service to Canadians, and up to 64 may be appointed each year, not including those inducted as extraordinary Officers or in an honorary capacity, with no limit to how many may be living at one time.<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=17}}</ref> {{As of|August 2017}}, there were 1,049 living Officers.<ref>{{Harvnb| Office of the Governor General of Canada| 2017| loc=[http://www.gg.ca/honours.aspx?ln=&fn=&t=12&p=&c=&pg=1&types=12&advoocHon=Officer&advoocStatus=Living Honour Received: Officer (OC), Field: Living]}}</ref>

Members of the Order of Canada (post-nominals: ''CM'', in {{langx|fr|link=no|Membre de l'ordre du Canada}}) have made an exceptional contribution to Canada or Canadians at a local or regional level, group, field or activity. As many as 136 Members may be appointed annually, not including extraordinary Members and those inducted on an honorary basis, and there is no limit on how many Members may be living at one time.<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=19}}</ref> {{As of|August 2017}}, there were 2,281 living Members.<ref>{{Harvnb| Office of the Governor General of Canada| 2017| loc=[http://www.gg.ca/honours.aspx?ln=&fn=&t=12&p=&c=&pg=1&types=12&advoocHon=Member&advoocStatus=Living Honour Received: Member (CM), Field: Living]}}</ref>