The Ordre was created in 1984 to recognize excellence and merit.
The expression Ordre national du Québec can designate two things:
The Board of the Ordre is composed of nine elected members of the Ordre. Each year, one-third is renewed by general election. The Board of the Ordre studies the nominations of Québec candidates.
They are outstanding individuals who have helped increase Québec’s renown and left a strong, lasting mark on all or part of Québec itself.
Any person, from Québec or elsewhere, can be inducted into the Ordre, if he or she has played an important role in Québec’s growth and/or has contributed to Quebeckers’ well-being, regardless of the activity sector.
The nature and scope of the individual’s specific merits in serving Québec and the public interest influence the rank (Knight, Office or Grand Officer) attributed to the person deemed worthy of this award. The difference between the three ranks is most often based on the level and scope of the nominee’s accomplishments.
Yes. Canadian and foreign citizens can be appointed to all three ranks of the Ordre (Knight, Officer or Grand Officer).
Appointments can also be honorary or diplomatic in nature or acknowledge the recipient’s achievements and their ripple effect on Québec and Quebeckers. They can be related to various fields of human activity.
Some 30 people are inducted into the Ordre or rise within its ranks every year.
This website’s search engine answers most questions you may have about the Ordre.
Information requests can be forwarded to the Secrétariat de l'Ordre, which must comply with the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the des protection of personal information. For more information, see the Regulation respecting the distribution of information and the protection of personal information.
The difference in the three ranks reflects primarily the level and scope of the individual’s achievements and the elements that help build a collective mindset, universal thought processes and sustainable humanism.
| Knight | Officer | Grand Officer |
|---|---|---|
| Work in progress | Work nearing completion | Work accomplished or completed |
| Exceptional discovery or approach | Discovery or approach with major repercussions |
Series of lasting discoveries or approaches that will stand the test of time |
| Exemplary activity in a specific field | Activity of international scope in one or more fields | Activity significantly exceeding what is considered the norm, from all viewpoints |
All of the Ordre’s ranks, regardless of their insignia, are the highest and most prestigious awards bestowed by the Québec government. It is awarded by the Premier (with rare exceptions) to individuals from Québec or elsewhere on behalf of the people of Québec following an annual public call for nominations.
The 
medals of the National Assembly, with the exception of the MNA’s Medal, are awarded by the President of the National Assembly or by one of the MNAs to people from Québec or elsewhere who are deserving of recognition by the Members of the National Assembly and the people of Québec.
There are four such medals:
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