Canadian honorifics - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Canadian honorifics are few, many of which are maintained from before Confederation

Confederation

A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...

and originate from the British honours system.

Royal and governmental honorifics

Honorific	In French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...	Accorded to	Notes
His/Her Majesty Majesty Majesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin maiestas, meaning "greatness".- Origin :Originally, during the Roman republic, the word maiestas was the legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else...	Sa Majesté	Canadian King and Queen, or Queen Consort	So styled for life (including widowhood in the case of the Queen Consort); lost if the monarch abdicates
His/Her Royal Highness Royal Highness Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...	Son Altesse Royale	Children and male-line grandchildren of the current or a former reigning sovereign, and their wives; the husband of a queen regnant (unless he is also a monarch)	So born, so styled for life; married into the family (for women), so styled for the duration of marriage and subsequent widowhood but title is lost upon divorce; so granted by the monarch, for life unless otherwise provided for
His/Her Excellency Excellency Excellency is an honorific style given to certain members of an organization or state.Usually, people styled "Excellency" are heads of state, heads of government, governors, ambassadors, certain ecclesiastics, royalty, aristocracy, and military, and others holding equivalent rank .It is...	Son Excellence	Governor General of Canada Governor General of Canada The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II... Consort of the Governor General Viceregal consort of Canada The viceregal consort of Canada is the spouse of the serving governor general of Canada, assisting the viceroy with ceremonial and charitable work, accompanying him or her to official state occasions, and occasionally undertaking philanthropic work of their own... Ambassadors	So styled while in office, thereafter Governor General styled Right Honourable/Très Honorable only. Consort does not maintain a style.
The Right Honourable The Right Honourable The Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...	le Très Honorable	Governor General Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister of Canada The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution... Chief Justice of Canada Chief Justice of Canada The Chief Justice of Canada, like the eight puisne Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, is appointed by the Governor-in-Council . All nine are chosen from either sitting judges or barristers who have at least ten years' standing at the bar of a province or territory... Can be granted to other individuals by the Governor General	So styled for life
His/Her Honour	Son Honneur	Lieutenant Governors and their consorts	So styled while in office; thereafter the Honourable only
The Honourable The Honourable The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...	l'Honorable	Members of the Privy Council Queen's Privy Council for Canada The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,... Senators Incumbent and former Lieutenant-Governors	So styled for life
The Honourable The Honourable The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...	l'Honorable	Speaker of the House of Commons Canadian House of Commons The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament... Supreme Court Justices Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions... Federal Court justices Territorial commissioners Executive Council members (e.g. provincial premiers and cabinet ministers) Speakers of provincial legislatures Provincial and territorial judges	So styled while in office, unless otherwise authorized to maintain the style for life.
His/Her Worship Worship (style) His or Her Worship is an honorific prefix for mayors, Justices of the Peace and magistrates in Commonwealth Realms. In spoken address, these officials are addressed as Your Worship or referred to as His or Her Worship; South Africa is an exception, as the term is still used to address judges in...	Son Honneur	Mayors Justices of the Peace	So styled while in office

Military honorifics

There exist two sets of ranks in the Canadian Forces

Canadian Forces

The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

, one for the army and air elements, and the second for the naval element. This was due to the strong identity of the Canadian navy.

Honorific	In French	Honorific	In French
Land/Air rank		Naval rank
Flag ranks
General	Général	Admiral	Amiral
Lieutenant-General	Lieutenant général	Vice-Admiral	Vice-amiral
Major-General	Major-général	Rear-Admiral	Contre-amiral
Brigadier-General	brigadier-général	Commodore Commodore (rank) Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...	Commodore
Officer ranks
Colonel Colonel Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...	Colonel	Captain Captain (naval) Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....	Capitaine de vaisseau
Lieutenant-Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel	Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...	Capitaine de frégate
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...	Major	Lieutenant-Commander	Capitaine de corvette
Captain	Capitaine	Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...	Lieutenant de vaisseau
Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Sub-Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1e classe
Second Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...	Sous-lieutenant	Acting Sub-Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...	Enseigne de vaisseau de 2e classe
Officer Cadet Officer Cadet Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...	Élève-officier	Naval Cadet Officer Cadet Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...	Aspirant de marine
Non-commissioned ranks
Chief Warrant Officer Chief Warrant Officer Chief warrant officer is a military rank used by the Canadian Forces and the Israel Defence Forces.-Canada:In the Canadian Forces, a chief warrant officer or CWO is the most senior non-commissioned member rank in the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force...	Adjudant-chef	Chief Petty Officer, 1st Class Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Chief petty officer, 1st class, CPO1, is the most senior non-commissioned member rank of the Royal Canadian Navy. It is equivalent to a chief warrant officer in the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force...	Premier maître de 1re classe
Master Warrant Officer Master Warrant Officer Master warrant officer is a senior military rank in the Canadian Forces, Singapore Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces.-Canadian Forces:...	Adjudant-maître	Chief Petty Officer, 2nd Class Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Chief petty officer, 2nd class, CPO2, is a Naval non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Forces. It is senior to the rank of petty officer 1st-class and its equivalents, and junior to chief petty officer 1st-class and its equivalents...	Premier maître de 2e classe
Warrant Officer Warrant Officer A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...	Adjudant	Petty Officer, 1st Class Petty Officer 1st Class Petty officer, 1st class, PO1, is a Naval non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Forces. It is senior to the rank of petty officer 2nd-class and its equivalents, and junior to chief petty officer 2nd-class and its equivalents. Its Army and Air Force equivalent is warrant officer .The French...	Maître de 1re classe
Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....	Sergent	Petty Officer, 2nd Class Petty Officer 2nd Class Petty officer, 2nd class, PO2, is a Naval non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Forces. It is senior to the rank of master seaman and its equivalents, and junior to petty officer 1st-class and its equivalents...	Maître de 2e classe
Master Corporal Master Corporal Master Corporal , in the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Army Cadets is an appointment of the rank of Corporal in the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Airforce...	Caporal-chef	Master Seaman Master Seaman Master seaman , or matelot-chef in French, is a non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Navy, which is between leading seaman and petty officer 2nd class . Technically, the rank is actually an appointment, with appointees holding the rank of leading seaman...	Matelot-chef
Corporal Corporal Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....	Caporal	Leading Seaman Leading Seaman Leading seaman is a junior non-commissioned rank or rate in navies, particularly those of the Commonwealth. When it is used by NATO nations, leading seaman has the rank code of OR-4. It is often equivalent to the army and air force rank of corporal and some navies use corporal rather than...	Matelot de 1re classe
Private Private (rank) A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...	Soldat	Able Seaman Able seaman An able seaman is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination of these roles.-Watchstander:...	Matelot de 2e classe
Private (Recruit) Army recruit Recruit or army recruit is a term often colloquially used to refer to the lowest military rank in various armed services. It usually implies that the soldier so labeled has not yet completed basic training....	soldat (recrue)	Ordinary Seaman	Matelot de 3e classe

Religious honorifics

Religions are free to use their own titles and honorifics provided that they do not contradict those used elsewhere in Canada. This is seen in the use of the title "His Excellency" by Roman Catholic archbishops and bishops which is not recognized by Canadian civil authorities. http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/prtcl/address1-eng.cfm

Royal and governmental honorifics

Military honorifics

Religious honorifics

See also