Background:
The Medal of Bravery (French – Médaille de la Bravoure) recognises acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances and is the third-highest award for bravery in the Canadian system of honours. The medal may be awarded posthumously and living recipients are allowed to use the post-nominal letters MB.
Design:
The medal is a circular silver medal. The obverse (shown left) has a central maple leaf surrounded by a laurel wreath. The reverse has the Royal Cypher of the reigning Monarch beneath St Edward’s Crown and the engraved inscription BRAVERY / BRAVOURE. The name and rank of the recipient at the time of the action leading to the award is engraved around the medal’s rim. The red ribbon is 31.8mm wide and has three equally spaced vertical blue stripes. The medal is hung from a bar suspension although women wear the medal from a bow ribbon.
Bars:
For subsequent acts of bravery, an individual already decorated with the medal are granted a silver bar bearing a maple leaf to be worn on the ribbon from which the original medal is suspended.