The medals don't necessarily have to be automatically reclaimed by the government, but the government should at least be able to buy them at the market price. You mentioned the Order of Canada. If people do not give back their medals and those medals end up elsewhere, we have to live with that. However, we could say to those who own certain types of medals and to those who may receive them in the future that, if they want to sell them, the government is prepared to pay the market price.
On October 19th, 2010. See this statement in context.