List of post-nominal letters in Canada
This is a list of post-nominal letters used in Canada. The order in which they follow an individual's name is the same as the order of precedence for the wearing of order insignias, decorations, and medals, as laid out by the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Official post-nominals in Canada
Post-nominal | Office | Notes |
---|---|---|
Higher national decorations | ||
VC | Victoria Cross | Currently there are no living Canadians permitted to use the post-nominal letters VC. Since its creation in 1993, the Canadian Victoria Cross has never been awarded. Historical Canadians with the post-nominals VC were Canadian recipients of the British Victoria Cross. |
CV | Cross of Valour | |
Queen's Privy Council for Canada | ||
PC French: CP | Privy Councillor | A Privy Councillor is also entitled to be styled "The Honourable" or "L'honorable" for life. The post-nominal letters are necessary to denote that someone is a privy councillor because in Canada holding a certain office can also allow the use of The Honourable title. Unlike what is done in the United Kingdom, the post-nominals "PC" have precedence over all Crown honours with two notable exceptions: the Victoria Cross (“VC”) and the Cross of Valour (“CV”).[1]
In practice, post-nominals are not usually translated from one language to another, but this is an exception. |
National orders and Commonwealth orders | ||
OM | Order of Merit | Commonwealth order |
CC | Companion of the Order of Canada | |
OC | Officer of the Order of Canada | |
CM | Member of the Order of Canada | |
CMM | Commander of the Order of Military Merit | |
COM | Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces | |
CVO | Commander of the Royal Victorian Order | Commonwealth order |
OMM | Officer of the Order of Military Merit | |
OOM | Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces | |
LVO | Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order | Commonwealth order |
MMM | Member of the Order of Military Merit | |
MOM | Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces | |
MVO | Member of the Royal Victorian Order | Commonwealth order |
Obsolete National orders | ||
CM | Medal of Courage of the Order of Canada | The Medal of Courage of the Order of Canada was never awarded and was abolished in 1972 when the Order of Canada was restructured into two levels and the Canadian Bravery Decorations were established. |
SM | Medal of Service of the Order of Canada | The Medal of Service of the Order of Canada was awarded to 319 Canadians, and would be converted into the Officer level of the Order of Canada in 1972. Thirty recipients of the Medal of Service died prior to 1972 and thus were never converted to Officers of the Order of Canada. |
Provincial orders | ||
Note: Precedence of provincial orders are in order of when they were added to the national orders system at the request of the provincial orders system, not by the normal order of precedence for provinces. | ||
GOQ | Grand officier de l'Ordre national du Québec | English: Grand officer of the National Order of Quebec |
OQ | Officier de l'Ordre national du Québec | English: Officer of the National Order of Quebec |
CQ | Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Québec | English: Knight of the National Order of Quebec |
SOM | Saskatchewan Order of Merit | |
OOnt | Order of Ontario | |
OBC | Order of British Columbia | |
AOE | Alberta Order of Excellence | |
OPEI | Order of Prince Edward Island | |
OM | Order of Manitoba | |
ONB | Order of New Brunswick | |
ONS | Order of Nova Scotia | |
ONL | Order of Newfoundland and Labrador | |
National Decorations | ||
SMV | Star of Military Valour | |
SC | Star of Courage | |
MSC French: CSM | Meritorious Service Cross | When awarded the Meritorious Service Cross, francophones use the post-nominal letters CSM for Croix du service méritoire, instead of MSC.[2] |
MMV | Medal of Military Valour | |
MB | Medal of Bravery | |
MSM | Meritorious Service Medal | The post-nominal letters for the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) are the same in both English and French.[2] |
RVM | Royal Victorian Medal | |
CD | Canadian Forces Decoration | |
Appointments to the monarch | ||
ADC | Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty | |
A de C | Aide-de-Camp to Governor General, Lieutenant Governor or viceroy.[3] | |
QHS | Queen's Honorary Surgeon[4] | |
QHP | Queen's Honorary Physician | |
QHDS | Queen's Honorary Dental Surgeon | |
QHNO | Queen's Honorary Nursing Officer | |
QPO | Queen's Police Officer | |
Legal positions | ||
CJC | Chief Justice of Canada | These letters are uncommon outside of the practice of law. |
CJA | Chief Justice of a Superior Court of Appeal | |
CJ | Chief Justice of a Superior Court | |
JA | Superior Appeal Court Justice | |
J | Superior Court Justice | |
Prov J | Inferior Court Judge | |
QC French: c.r. | Queen's Counsel (French: conseillier de la reine) | During the reign of a male monarch, the letters are KC for King's Counsel. |
Esq | Used for persons qualified to practice law. | Rarely used by the holder of the title, but it can be found in some official contexts, such as the "appearances" section in the decisions of Canadian courts.
Historically, it was also occasionally used for esquires in the British context of the title. |
Academic degrees | ||
PhD (and others) | Academic doctorate | Also includes DD, DLitt, DPhil, DSocSci, DU, EdD, EngD, JSD, LLD, SJD. |
MA (and others) | Academic master's degree | Also includes LLM, MASc, MEd, MEng, MFA, MM, MMath, MRes, MSc, MSci. |
MD (and others) | First professional degree | Professional doctorates include DDS, DNP, DO, DSW, DVM, JD, MD, OD, PharmD, PsyD.
Professional master's degrees include MAcc, MBA, MC, MFin, MPA, and [MMM]. Professional bachelor's degrees include BASc or BEng, BCL, BEd, LLB, LL.L., MDiv. |
BA (and others) | Bachelor's degree | Also includes BFA, BSc, BSocSc and BBA. |
see note → | school name | In academic contexts, it is common to give an abbreviation of name of the school awarding the degree after the letters for the degree itself. The way school names are abbreviated can vary. For example, a PhD from Memorial University of Newfoundland can be found written as PhD (MUN) or PhD (Memorial). When a person has multiple degrees from the same school, the school name is only written once, after all degrees from that school. |
Academic orders, societies, academians | ||
RMC | graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada | Students who graduate from the Royal Military College of Canada, the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean (CMR), or the Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) having successfully completed the four interlocking components merit the "RMC" post nominal.
This post nominal is presented by the Minister of National Defence to individuals upon successful completion of the four components, which are academics (undergraduate degree), leadership, athletics, and bilingualism. |
CPMHN(C) | Certified in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing by the Canadian Nurses Association[5] | |
ARCT | Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto (Royal Conservatory of Music) | |
FCAHS | Fellow of Canadian Academy of Health Sciences | |
MCFP | Member of The College of Family Physicians of Canada | |
CCFP | Certificant of The College of Family Physicians of Canada | |
FCFP | Fellow of The College of Family Physicians of Canada | |
FRCPC | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (Physician) | |
FRCSC | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (Surgeon) | |
FRCD | Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada | |
FCGmA | Fellow of the Canadian Gemmological Association | |
FRSA | Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce | |
FRSC French: MSRC | Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada | |
FRCA | Fellow of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts established 1880[6] | |
RCA | Member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts established 1880[6] | |
FCSI | Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute | |
FRCCO | Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists | |
FRCGS | Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society | |
FCIC | Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada | |
MCIC | Member of the Chemical Institute of Canada | |
FRHSC | Fellow of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada | |
MRHSC | Member of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada | |
FRAIC | Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada | |
FCAE | Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering | |
FEC | Fellow of Engineers Canada | |
FCIM | Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum | |
FCIP | Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners | |
FCASI | Fellow of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute | |
MRAIC | Member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada | |
MCIP | Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners | |
ARIDO | Member of the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario | |
OAA | Member of the Ontario Association of Architects | |
MAIBC | Member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia | |
Professional institutions | ||
A.Sc.T. | Applied Science Technologist[7] | |
CBHF | Companion of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame | |
OBHF | Officer of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame | |
CAE | Certified Association Executive | |
C.E.T. | Certified Engineering Technologist[7] | |
CGA | Certified General Accountant | |
CCP | Certified Credit Professional | In 1928, the Government of Canada created the Credit Institute of Canada (CIC) through a Special Act of Parliament. The mandate of the CIC is to provide rigorous training, examination and continuous learning to credit professionals who protect the wealth of Canada's companies and institutions. The Institute is the only government-recognized body in Canada to issue the CCP designation in the field of Commercial Credit. |
CHRP | Certified Human Resources Professional | |
CRSP | Canadian Registered Safety Professional | |
CIRP | Chartered Insolvency and Restructuring Professional[8] | |
CMA | Certified Management Accountant | |
CA | Chartered Accountant | |
C. Chem. | Chartered Chemist[9] | The Association of the Chemical Profession of Ontario (ACPO), legally constituted in 1963 by a provincial Act, sets strict academic standards for its members and monitors their professional and ethical conduct. These members are Chartered Chemists, permitted to use the designation C. Chem. after their names. |
CFA | Chartered Financial Analyst | |
CIM | Chartered Investment Manager | |
C. Mgr. | Chartered Manager[10] | |
CPA | Chartered Professional Accountant[11] | |
CPHI(C) | Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada)[12] | |
CHE | Certified Health Executive[13] | |
CTC | Certified Travel Councillor[14] | |
CTM | Certified Travel Manager[14] | |
C. Med. | Chartered Mediator[15] | |
Q. Med. | Qualified Mediator[15] | |
C. Arb. | Chartered Arbitrator[15] | |
EP | Environmental Professional[16] | |
GISP | Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Professional [17] | |
I.S.P. | Information Systems Professional[18] | |
EIT | Engineer-in-Training/Engineering Intern[19] | |
FEA | Certified Family Enterprise Advisor and Member of the Institute of Family Enterprise Advisors[20] | |
P.Eng. | Professional Engineer[21] | |
StrucEng | Structural Engineer | |
PGeo | Professional Geoscientist[21] | |
PGeol | Professional Geologist[21] | |
PGeoph | Professional Geophysicist[21] | |
PPhys | Professional Physicist | |
PMP | Project Management Professional | |
GSC | Gold Seal Certification[22] | |
GSI | Gold Seal Certification - Intern[22] | |
ALS | Alberta Land Surveyor[23] | |
BCLS | British Columbia Land Surveyor[24] | |
CLS | Canada Lands Surveyor[25] | |
MLS | Manitoba Land Surveyor | |
MLT | Medical Laboratory Technologist[26] | |
OLS | Ontario Land Surveyor | |
SLS | Saskatchewan Land Surveyor[27] | |
PRP | Professional Registered Parliamentarian | |
RD | Registered Dietitian | |
RP | Registered Parliamentarian | |
RSE | Red Seal Endorsement | |
RM | Registered Midwife[28] | |
RN | Registered Nurse[29] | |
NP | Nurse Practitioner[30] | |
LPN | Licensed Practical Nurse[31] | |
RPN | Registered Practical Nurse[32] | |
CTech | Certified Technician | |
CET | Certified Engineering Technologist | |
CPM | Certified Payroll Manager | |
PCP | Payroll Compliance Practitioner | |
RGD | Certified Member of the Association of Registered Graphic Designers[33] | |
RPF | Forester (Registered Professional Forester) | |
RPH | Registered Pharmacist[34] | |
RPP | Registered Professional Planner | |
RPBio | Registered Professional Biologist | |
OCT | Ontario Certified Teacher | |
PLog | Professional Logistician[35] | |
MMP | Maintenance Management Professional[36] | |
CCE | Member of the Canadian Cinema Editors[37] | |
CSC | Member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers[38] | |
CDC | Member of the Casting Directors Society of Canada[39] | |
CGD | Certified Member of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada[40] | |
Ad. E. | Lawyer Emeritus Quebec Bar[41] | |
Legislators (while in office) | ||
MP | member of Canadian House of Commons | Letters are short for "Member of Parliament". This title is used in Canada and other Commonwealth nations to describe members of the lower house of Parliament only. The Senate of Canada is part of Parliament, but its members are not called MPs. |
MPP | member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly after 1938 | Letters are short for "Member of Provincial Parliament". Before 1938, members used MLA. |
MNA | member of the National Assembly of Quebec after 1968 | Before 1968, members used MLA. |
MLA | Member of the Legislative Assembly | Used for members of provincial and territorial legislatures except Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. |
MHA | member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly | Only used for members of the Newfoundland and Labrador legislative assembly. Even though Nova Scotia's assembly is called the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, its members are styled MLAs. |
British post-nominals used alongside Canadian ones
Any person who, prior to 1 June 1972, was a member of a British order or the recipient of a British decoration or medal may use the post-nominal letters for the decoration or medal together with those of any Canadian order, decoration or medal.
Canadians can still be awarded British medals, as well as those from other countries, but this must first be approved by the Government of Canada. (See Nickle Resolution)
Post-nominal | Office | Notes |
---|---|---|
Hereditary titles | ||
Bt Btss | Baronet or Baronetess | A small number of baronets were created for Canadians, such as Baron Shaughnessy of Montreal, and some still have living heirs. When used, it comes before all other Canadian honours. For more information, see Canadian peers and baronets. |
British orders and decorations | ||
VC | Victoria Cross | The letters VC can also refer to the Canadian Victoria Cross, but that decoration has never been awarded. |
GC | George Cross | |
GCVO | Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order | |
KCVO DCVO | Knight or Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order | |
CH | Order of the Companions of Honour | |
CB | Companion of the Order of the Bath | |
CMG | Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George | |
CBE | Commander of the Order of the British Empire | |
DSO | Distinguished Service Order | |
OBE | Officer of the Order of the British Empire | |
ISO | Imperial Service Order | |
MBE | Member of the Order of the British Empire | |
RRC | Member of the Royal Red Cross | |
DSC | Distinguished Service Cross | |
MC | Military Cross | |
DFC | Distinguished Flying Cross | |
AFC | Air Force Cross | |
SMV | Star of Military Valour | |
SC | Star of Courage | |
MSC | Meritorious Service Cross | |
MMV | Medal of Military Valour | |
MB | Medal of Bravery | |
MSM | Meritorious Service Medal | |
ARRC | Associate of the Royal Red Cross | |
DCM | Distinguished Conduct Medal | |
CGM | Conspicuous Gallantry Medal | |
GM | George Medal | |
DSM | Distinguished Service Medal | |
MM | Military Medal | |
DFM | Distinguished Flying Medal | |
AFM | Air Force Medal | |
QGM | Queen's Gallantry Medal | |
BEM | British Empire Medal | |
Unofficial post-nominals
Post-nominal | Office | Notes |
---|---|---|
Unofficial hereditary titles | ||
UE | United Empire Loyalists | U.E. is based on Lord Dorchester's Order in Council in 1789, which was meant to differentiate loyalists from later settlers. Entitled to use these letters are descendants of:
|
Orders without official post-nominals | ||
GCStJ | Bailiff or Dame Grand Cross of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem | Officially, membership in the order does not grant any post-nominals, but these letters are used within the order itself. When used, these post-nominals are placed after all other national decorations.
Often shortened to the Most Venerable Order of St. John. |
KStJ DStJ | Knight or Dame of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem | |
CStJ | Commander of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem | |
OStJ | Officer of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem | |
SBStJ SSStJ | Serving Member (Brother or Sister) of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem |
See also
Notes and references
- ↑ The Chancellery of Honours, Rideau Hall, Guide for the Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals (PDF), Queen's Printer for Canada, p. 23, retrieved 1 December 2015
- 1 2
- ↑ Canada Gazette, February 9, 1974
- ↑ Department of National Defence, Canadian Forces Dress Instructions (PDF), Queen's Printer for Canada, pp. 3–7–3, retrieved 15 November 2010
- ↑ Canadian Nurses Association - Registered Certification Initials
- 1 2 "Who We Are". The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
- 1 2 https://www.oacett.org/Why-Join/Certification
- ↑ http://www.cairp.ca/membership/CIRP-certification/index.php
- ↑ "Association of the Chemical Profession of Ontario". acpo.on.ca. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
- ↑ http://cim.ca
- ↑ http://cpacanada.ca
- ↑ http://www.ciphi.bc.ca/career.html
- ↑ http://www.cchl-ccls.ca/default_certification.asp?active_page_id=262
- 1 2 http://secure.tico.ca/tico/en/about-natdir-locator-e.cfm
- 1 2 3 http://www.adrcanada.ca/resources/designation.cfm
- ↑ http://www.eco.ca/certification
- ↑ "GISCI (GIS Certification Institute)". https://www.gisci.org/Home.aspx. External link in
|website=
(help); - ↑ http://www.cips.ca/isp
- ↑ http://www.peo.on.ca/registration/eit.html
- ↑ http://ifea.ca/cpages/fea-certification-requirements
- 1 2 3 4 http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?text=P.Eng&language=en&searchTitle=Statutes+and+Regulations+of+Alberta&path=/en/ab/laws/stat/rsa-2000-c-e-11/latest/rsa-2000-c-e-11.html
- 1 2 http://www.goldsealcertification.com/
- ↑ http://www.canlii.org/en/ab/laws/stat/rsa-2000-c-l-3/latest/rsa-2000-c-l-3.html
- ↑ http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document/freeside/--%20l%20--/land%20surveyors%20act%20%20rsbc%201996%20%20c.%20248/00_96248_01.xml
- ↑ http://laws.justice.gc.ca/PDF/Statute/L/L-5.8.pdf
- ↑ http://csmls.org/
- ↑ http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/documents/English/Statutes/Statutes/L3-1.pdf
- ↑ Midwifery
- ↑ Registered nurse
- ↑ http://www.cno.org/en/learn-about-standards-guidelines/educational-tools/nurse-practitioners/
- ↑ Licensed practical nurse
- ↑ Licensed practical nurse#Canada
- ↑ http://www.rgd.ca
- ↑ http://www.pharmacists.ca/index.cfm/about-cpha/
- ↑ http://www.loginstitute.ca
- ↑ http://www.pemac.org
- ↑ http://www.cceditors.ca
- ↑ http://www.csc.ca
- ↑ http://www.castingsociety.ca
- ↑ http://www.gdc.net
- ↑ http://www.barreau.qc.ca/en/barreau/reconnaissance/avocats-emerites/