Editing Order of Canada (section)

===Possession and sale===
The constitution of the Order of Canada states that the insignia remain property of [[the Crown]],<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=23.1}}</ref> and requires any member of the order to return to the chancellery their original emblem should they be upgraded within the order to a higher rank.<ref>{{Harvnb| Elizabeth II| 2013| loc=24.3.b}}</ref> Thus, while badges may be passed down as family heirlooms, or loaned or donated [[List of Order of Canada insignia displayed in museums|for display in museums]], they theoretically cannot be sold. However, this has proved impossible to enforce, with several Order of Canada insignia put up for sale over the decades. The first was the Companion's badge of [[M.&nbsp;J. Coldwell]], who was appointed in 1967; his badge was sold at auction in 1981, an act that received criticism from government officials.<ref>{{Harvnb| McCreery| 2005| p=197}}</ref>

In 2007, it was revealed that one of the first ever issued insignia of the Order of Canada, a Medal of Service awarded originally to Quebec historian [[Gustave Lanctot]], was put up for sale via e-mail. Originally, the anonymous auctioneer, who had purchased the decoration for $45 at an estate sale in [[Montreal]], attempted to sell the insignia on [[eBay]]; however, after the bidding reached $15,000, eBay removed the item, citing its policy against the sale of government property, including "any die, seal or stamp provided by, belonging to, or used by a government department, diplomatic or military authority appointed by or acting under the authority of Her Majesty." Rideau Hall stated that selling medals was "highly discouraged"; however, the owner continued efforts to sell the insignia via the internet.<ref>{{Citation | last=Canadian Press | url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/order-of-cda-medal-auction-to-proceed-by-e-mail-1.222585 | title=Order of Cda. medal auction to proceed by e-mail | date=6 January 2007 | publisher=CTV | access-date=27 October 2016 | archive-date=27 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027193140/http://www.ctvnews.ca/order-of-cda-medal-auction-to-proceed-by-e-mail-1.222585 | url-status=live }}</ref> Five years later, a miniature insignia presented to [[Tommy Douglas]] was put on auction in Ontario as part of a larger collection of Douglas artifacts.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://lfpress.com/news/london/2012/01/18/19263576.html| title=Daughter sure Tommy Douglas medals are safe| date=18 January 2012| newspaper=London Free Press| access-date=11 September 2013| archive-date=22 February 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222200916/http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2012/01/18/19263576.html| url-status=dead}}</ref> Douglas's daughter, [[Shirley Douglas]], purchased the set for $20,000.<ref>{{cite news| last=Graney| first=Emma| title=Daughter drops $20K to keep Tommy Douglas medals in family| date=9 February 2012| agency=Postmedia News| location=Regina}}</ref>