History

L'Ordre National du Quebec was established on June 20, 1984, recognizing three grades of the Order: Grand Officer, Officer, and Recipient of the Medal of Merit. On June 19, 1985, the Order was amended and that nomenclature remains the same today: Grand Officer ("Grand Officier" ou "Grande Officière"); Officer ("Officier" ou "Officière"); and Knight ("Chevalier" ou "Chevalière"). On May 9, 1991, the Order was granted status in the Official Precedence of Canadian Orders, Decorations, and Medals. It is the highest ranking provincial order as it was the first to be established.

The Order is awarded to residents of Quebec who have demonstrated excellence in both personal and community endeavours while helping to reveal and contribute to the unique identity of the province. It aims to recognize individuals working towards the greater good.

The Knight award is composed of a silver circular medal superimposed with a silver geneva cross, with the obverse featuring a fleur-de-lis in the bottom left corner of the cross. The reverse is incribed with the Order's motto [HONNEUR AU PEUPLE DU QUEBEC] ("Homage to the people of Quebec"), the medal's number of issue, and a hallmark. The Knight Order is awarded in a full-size medal, a miniature, a lapel pin, and a ribbon bar if the recipient is uniform.

A recipient may be promoted within the order and is entitled to use the post-nominals "CQ." The award is open to all residents, excluding members of the national assembly. Posthumous appointments may be made. The Premier of Quebec is responsible for granting the honour (distinct from the other Canadian Provinces).