Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation

About this award

The Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation recognizes individuals who have made outstanding volunteer contributions that benefit Canadian Veterans or support the remembrance of their service, sacrifices and achievements.

Established in April 2001 with the approval of the Governor General, the Commendation has since been awarded annually to selected recipients.

Find past recipients

Insignia and wear

The Commendation includes:

• a certificate;
• a lapel pin for civilian wear; and
• a bar for wear with decorations.

The design is a gold maple leaf on a red poppy—a flower long associated with the sacrifices of war—topped with the Royal Crown.

The bar may be worn on formal clothing such as a blazer, on occasions where medals are appropriate. It is worn below other official decorations. The lapel pin may be worn on civilian dress at any time.

Eligibility

Type of service to Veterans

We recognize the diverse scope and range of volunteer work performed in contribution to the care and well-being of Veterans, or to the remembrance of the contributions, sacrifices and achievements of Veterans.

Nominees

Eligible candidates must be:

• an individual—not a group, couple or organization—of any age; and
• a volunteer who has made significant, sustained and unpaid contributions to Canadian Veterans.

An individual may receive the Commendation only once and may be nominated once per year.

Posthumous award

The Commendation may be awarded posthumously in the unfortunate circumstance a recipient is approved to receive this award, but passes away before the award has been presented.

How to nominate someone

To nominate someone for the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation:

Download the nomination form

1. Complete the form in full.
   Note: Incomplete nominations will not be assessed.
2. Send the completed nomination by email to commendation-mentionelogieuse@veterans.gc.ca or by mail to:
   
   Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation Advisory Committee
   Veterans Affairs Canada
   66 Slater Street
   Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0P4

Deadline

• Nominations are accepted year-round.
• Nominations received by January 31 are considered for the current year.
• Nominations received after January 31 are considered for the following year.

If you have questions about your nomination, please contact us by email.

Selection process

For more information about the recipient selection process, visit the Selection process page.

Frequently asked questions

How are recipients of the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation selected?

The Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation Advisory Committee reviews nominations and make recommendations to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. The Minister makes the final decision.

How will I know if my nomination was successful?

All nominators will be contacted with the results of their nomination. If a nomination is not successful, a new nomination may be submitted in a future year.

We cannot provide updates on the status of a nomination or explain why a nomination was not selected.

How long should a successful candidate expect to wait to receive their Commendation?

We notify recipients once they have been selected for a Commendation. We then contact them separately when an official presentation date is confirmed in their region.

If a recipient prefers not to wait for an in-person presentation, they may request to receive their Commendation by mail.