capitalization: medals, awards, honours and decorations

Capitalize the official names of professional, academic and military medals, awards, honours and decorations:

  • Distinguished Flying Cross
  • Victoria Cross
  • Order of Canada
  • Nobel Peace Prize
  • a Nobel Prize winner
  • Governor General’s Award

Most common-noun short forms are lower-cased:

  • No award was given this year.

However, they may be capitalized if the reference is clear:

  • The Prize [Nobel Peace Prize, mentioned in a previous sentence] was her reward for a lifetime of effort.

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© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada

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