June 20, 2005
OTTAWA - Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, will preside over a presentation
ceremony of the Decorations for Bravery at Rideau Hall on Friday, June 24, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. The Governor General
will present 36 Medals of Bravery to Canadians.
The Decorations for Bravery-the Cross of Valour, the Star of Courage and the Medal of Bravery-were instituted in 1972.
The Cross of Valour is awarded for acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril. The Star
of Courage is awarded for acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril. The Medal of Bravery is
awarded for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
A media schedule for the Bravery decorations presentation ceremony (Annex A), and a complete list of recipients and
their citations (Annex B) are attached.
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Media information
Eric Richer
Rideau Hall Press Office
(613) 998-7280
Public information
The Chancellery of Honours, Government House
(613) 993-2569 or 1 800 465-6890
ANNEX A
The scenario for the ceremony is as follows:
9:45 a.m. Arrival of media
9:55 a.m. Sound and light checks
10:00 a.m. Guests take their seats in the Ballroom
10:15 a.m. All media are in place
10:30 a.m. Her Excellency enters the Ballroom
Vice-regal Salute
The Governor General speaks
The Governor General presents the Decorations for Bravery
11:30 a.m. National Anthem
End of ceremony
ANNEX B
MEDAL OF BRAVERY
Lori Abbott, M.B.
Regina, Saskatchewan
RCMP Corporal Kirby Brett Anderson, M.B.
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Bradley Scott Becker, M.B. (posthumous)
Wasaga Beach, Ontario
Leslie Virginia Bennewith, M.B.
Port Moody, British Columbia
Patrice Bernier, M.B.
Sainte-Julie, Quebec
Michael Robert Brook, M.B.
Victoria, British Columbia
Garth Doege, M.B.
Cowichan Bay, British Columbia
Sebastian Donnelly, M.B. (posthumous)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Jesse Richard Elliott, M.B. (posthumous)
Pouch Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
Michel Gauthier, M.B.
Blainville, Quebec
Élie Gilbert, M.B.
Saint-Frédéric, Quebec
Captain Bruce Gundling, M.B., C.D.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Katharina Giesbrecht Ham, M.B. (posthumous)
Bow Island, Alberta
Jeffrey A. Hawkins, M.B.
Swan River, Manitoba
John Lyle Hoar, M.B.
Nelson, British Columbia
Gordon Ihlen, M.B.
Slocan Park, British Columbia
Renny Michael Kafka, M.B.
Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Mary Lucille Knight, M.B.
Laurier, Manitoba
Constable Stephen Knight, M.B.
Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador
Norman Wilson Leppan, M.B.
North Bay, Ontario
Claude Lesage, M.B.
Pointe-Claire, Quebec
June Elaine Menzies, M.B.
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Donald James Miller, M.B.
Port Moody, British Columbia
Richard Murphy, M.B.
Nelson, British Columbia
Derek Daniel Nightingale, M.B.
Sylvan Lake, Alberta
Eric Pittman, M.B.
Victoria, British Columbia
John D. Rodger, M.B.
Toronto, Ontario
Craig Russel Saarinen, M.B.
Hudson, Ontario
David Saunders, M.B.
Victoria, British Columbia
Second Lieutenant Larry William Smith, M.B.
Toronto, Ontario
Noreen Alison Smith, M.B.
Port Moody, British Columbia
Peter Stacey, M.B.
Surrey, British Columbia
Frank John Supernak, M.B. (posthumous)
Osoyoos, British Columbia
RCMP Constable Kevin Tyler Thomson, M.B.
Victoria, British Columbia
Dirk Tolman, M.B.
Crofton, British Columbia
Adam Wall, M.B. (posthumous)
Pouch Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
CITATIONS
Lori Abbott, M.B., Regina, Saskatchewan
Medal of Bravery
On April 4, 2004, Lori Abbott rescued an 11-year-old boy who was trapped between two sheets of shifting ice on
the Qu'Appelle River, in Lumsden, Saskatchewan. Numbed by the frigid water, the boy was slowly losing his grip on
the edge of the ice and slipping under the surface. Alerted to the child's predicament, Ms. Abbott entered the water, waded
to reach the ice pan a few metres away, and pulled herself up onto the chunk of ice. Crawling onto the thin surface, she
made her way to the nearly submerged boy and managed to haul him out of the icy water. Holding on to each other, Ms. Abbott
and the child inched their way back until they reached the shore.
RCMP Corporal Kirby Brett Anderson, M.B., Nanaimo, British Columbia
RCMP Constable Kevin Tyler Thomson, M.B., Victoria, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery
On October 11, 2002, Cpl. Kirby Anderson and Cst. Kevin Thomson rescued an elderly disabled woman from a burning
house in Port Alberni, British Columbia. Dispatched to the scene, the officers entered the dwelling where they were
met by a wall of thick, grey smoke. They called to the woman but, disoriented and frail, she was unable to move. In
near-zero visibility, the rescuers crawled inside without protective gear and, groping around, followed the woman's voice
until they located her in a bathroom. Cpl. Anderson and Cst. Thomson then supported her as they walked through the blinding
smoke to the front door where others provided assistance.
Bradley Scott Becker, M.B. (posthumous), Wasaga Beach, Ontario
Medal of Bravery
On September 13, 2003, Bradley Becker died while trying to rescue his eight-year-old daughter at Wasaga Beach,
Ontario. The girl was playing on an air mattress when a strong wind pushed her farther out, some 200 metres into the bay.
When she saw her father swimming towards her from shore, the girl jumped off the mattress and began swimming to meet him.
Reaching her mid-way, Mr. Becker swam behind her, pushing her ahead and repeatedly pulling her from under the surface while
shouting encouragements. Sadly, Mr. Becker was overcome by exhaustion before reaching safety and disappeared under the surface.
The girl was eventually rescued by a man on a Sea-Doo who had come to help.
The decoration awarded to Mr. Becker will be received by his daughter, Miss Morgan Fischer.
Leslie Virginia Bennewith, M.B., Port Moody, British Columbia
Donald James Miller, M.B., Port Moody, British Columbia
Noreen Alison Smith, M.B., Port Moody, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery
On August 9, 2004, Leslie Bennewith, Alison Smith and Donald Miller assisted in the rescue of a woman who was
being abducted at gunpoint by her estranged common-law husband, in Port Moody, British Columbia. Mrs. Bennewith and
Mrs. Smith were walking by when they saw the woman jump out of a parked truck, escape the grip of her attacker, and race
toward them. Acting as human shields, the two rescuers placed themselves between the aggressor and the woman, allowing her
to flee under a hail of bullets. The victim was shot in the back as she ran across a busy four-lane highway, but managed
to keep going. Meanwhile, Mr. Miller had stopped his car and opened the passenger door to let the terrified runaway jump
inside with the violent man in pursuit. A window exploded and the woman suffered another bullet wound as Mr. Miller sped
away toward a nearby ambulance station. Although severely injured, the woman later recovered.
Patrice Bernier, M.B., Sainte-Julie, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On the evening of January 22, 2004, Patrice Bernier risked his life to rescue a friend from drowning after the
ice had given way under the weight of his snowmobile, on the Richelieu River, near St-Charles, Quebec. Mr. Bernier, driving
the lead snowmobile, noticed that his friend was no longer following him. He went back to investigate and spotted him in
a hole in the ice, in the middle of the river, desperately battling the fierce current pulling him below the surface. Fighting
the high winds and drifting snow, Mr. Bernier crawled on the thin surface until he reached the edge of the hole. He grabbed
his friend's hand and managed to pull him from the freezing water after several attempts. He then dragged him
to a nearby residence where they received assistance.
Michael Robert Brook, M.B., Victoria, British Columbia
Garth Doege, M.B., Cowichan Bay, British Columbia
Eric Pittman, M.B., Victoria, British Columbia
David Saunders, M.B., Victoria, British Columbia
Dirk Tolman, M.B., Crofton, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery
On June 13, 2004, these five men combined their efforts to pull a family of four from a burning truck on the
Trans-Canada Highway, near Shawnigan Lake, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The victims' vehicle had been rear-ended
by a pick-up truck and had burst into flames before rolling backwards into a ditch, igniting nearby trees. First at the
scene, the rescuers smashed windows and crawled inside the twisted wreck. Suffering from burns and smoke inhalation, the
group was driven away several times by the spreading flames that engulfed the back end of the truck. Undeterred, the men
persevered until they had managed to free the couple and their two daughters from the blaze. Although the parents and the
toddler recovered, the nine-year-old girl later succumbed to her injuries.
Sebastian Donnelly, M.B. (posthumous), Winnipeg, Manitoba
Medal of Bravery
On November 1, 2003, Sebastian Donnelly lost his life while trying to rescue a friend from drowning at Lake of
the Woods, Ontario. The waves had picked up and had flipped their canoe over, throwing Mr. Donnelly and his three companions
into the frigid waters. Aware that one of his friends could not swim, Mr. Donnelly grabbed him under the arm and tried
to swim with him against the strong current to reach shore. Overcome by exhaustion from fighting the powerful surf, he could
no longer hold on to his friend and both disappeared under the surface and drowned.
The decoration awarded to Mr. Donnelly will be received by his father, Mr. Kevin Donnelly.
Jesse Richard Elliott, M.B. (posthumous), Pouch Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
Adam Wall, M.B. (posthumous), Pouch Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medal of Bravery
On March 8, 2001, 18-year-old Jesse Elliott and 16-year-old Adam Wall lost their lives while trying to rescue
a friend who had fallen into the ice-filled bay of Pouch Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador. The cousins and two other
teenagers were at the seashore watching the waves from a three-meter high, ice-and-snow-covered rock when a chunk broke
off, sending the boy into the seething mass of ice and freezing water. While one teenager ran for help, Jesse jumped in
after him and tried to reach his side, but the boy disappeared below the surface before Jesse could save him. Seeing that
Jesse was in trouble, Adam then leapt into the Atlantic Ocean. Jesse and Adam, holding on to each other, managed to grab
a rope thrown to them from shore when they were struck by a slab of ice and drowned.
The decoration awarded to Mr. Elliott will be received by his mother, Mrs. Sharon Wall; the decoration awarded to Mr.
Wall will be received by his mother, Mrs. Karen Wall.
Michel Gauthier, M.B., Blainville, Quebec
Claude Lesage, M.B., Pointe-Claire, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On June 14, 2003, Michel Gauthier and Claude Lesage rescued a man from a burning boat following an explosion
at the gas pier of Dorval Marina, in Montreal, Quebec. In spite of the fire and the risk of other explosions, Mr. Gauthier
and Mr. Lesage ran to the yacht moments after the blast. Through a small opening in the smoke-filled pilot house, Mr. Gauthier
spotted the victim's hand. He reached inside and, assisted by Mr. Lesage, pulled the severely injured man from the wreckage.
Both rescuers then carried him a safe distance away from the danger zone, where others provided first aid.
Élie Gilbert, M.B., Saint-Frédéric, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On May 29, 2004, Élie Gilbert saved a man from a fiery death, following an accident on Highway 117, in La Vérendrye
Park, Quebec. Seconds after a semi-trailer collided head-on with a pickup truck and erupted into a fireball, Mr. Gilbert
raced to the scene through a wall of thick smoke and toxic fumes. Jumping over the massive torn-out engine of the transport
truck in the ditch, he made his way to the injured driver who had collapsed after getting out of the burning cabin of his
vehicle. Mr. Gilbert then carried the heavy victim on his shoulder up the embankment, a safe distance away from the blaze.
Tragically, the three occupants of the other vehicle perished in the accident.
Captain Bruce Gundling, M.B., C.D., Winnipeg, Manitoba
Medal of Bravery
On March 27, 2004, Capt Bruce Gundling risked his life to prevent a suicidal woman from jumping into the Rideau
River Falls, in Ottawa, Ontario. Capt Gundling was walking his dog with his son when he observed the victim climbing over
a barrier and onto the edge of a concrete platform above the raging river. Moments later, when he witnessed the distressed
woman pull a razor blade and slash her wrist, Capt Gundling seized the opportunity of a momentary distraction to leap over
two barriers and a concrete wall to reach her side. He then wrestled the frantic woman to disarm and restrain her for the
10 minutes it took for others to arrive at the scene and help pull her over the wall to safety.
Katharina Giesbrecht Ham, M.B. (posthumous), Bow Island, Alberta
Medal of Bravery
On July 16, 2003, 12-year-old Katharina Ham lost her life while attempting to rescue her seven-year-old sister
who had slipped off a rock and had become caught in the undertow of an irrigation canal, near Medicine Hat, Alberta. Katharina's
sister had gone down the steep, rock-covered embankment to wash her feet when she slipped and fell in the canal. Aware that
her little sister could not swim, Katharina jumped in the water after her and managed to drag her to the edge of the canal
but, exhausted, was unable to lift her on the slippery surface. Sadly, Katharina and her sister were swept away by the strong
current and both drowned.
The decoration awarded to Miss Ham will be received by her father, Mr. Enrique Ham.
Jeffrey A. Hawkins, M.B., Swan River, Manitoba
Renny Michael Kafka, M.B., Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Mary Lucille Knight, M.B., Laurier, Manitoba
Medal of Bravery
On July 29, 2001, Jeffrey Hawkins, Renny Kafka and Lucille Knight helped with the safe evacuation and rescue
of residents from a burning boarding house for people with special needs, in Laurier, Manitoba. After Mrs. Knight located
the fire on the third floor, Mr. Kafka and Mr. Hawkins joined her in alerting the occupants on all three floors and assisting
them to get outside. As the fire raged on, some disoriented residents had managed to avoid staff and emergency workers and
re-entered the burning structure. Although hindered by the intense heat and choking smoke, the rescuers went back into the
dwelling several times and persisted in their efforts until they had to retreat from the failing structure, moments before
it was engulfed in flames.
John Lyle Hoar, M.B., Nelson, British Columbia
Richard Murphy, M.B., Nelson, British Columbia
Derek Daniel Nightingale, M.B., Sylvan Lake, Alberta
Medal of Bravery
On December 24, 2000, John Hoar, Richard Murphy and Derek Nightingale rescued a man from a burning two-storey
heritage house, in Nelson, British Columbia. Mr. Murphy crawled upstairs in an attempt to reach his tenant's apartment,
but, twice, the toxic black smoke drove him out. Meanwhile, Mr. Hoar and Mr. Nightingale had reached the scene and, in zero
visibility, the trio formed a human chain to make their way inside. Although they were repeatedly forced back out for fresh
air, the men succeeded in reaching the second floor, where the heat was intense. With Mr. Hoar as backup at the top of the
stairs, Mr. Murphy and Mr. Nightingale crawled some 10 meters along the hallway until they found the victim in a bedroom.
Choking and blinded by the smoke, the rescuers then dragged the unconscious man out to safety.
Gordon Ihlen, M.B., Slocan Park, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery
On October 25, 2003, Gordon Ihlen came to the aid of a woman who was being stabbed, in Castelgar, British Columbia.
Mr. Ihlen was working in the entranceway of a nearby restaurant when he saw a knife-wielding man physically assaulting the
screaming woman. Without concern for his own safety, Mr. Ihlen ran to the scene and tackled the assailant until he
released the victim. Fearing that she would be injured further, Mr. Ihlen placed himself between the woman and her aggressor,
who thrust the weapon towards him at full arms' length. When Mr. Ihlen screamed for help, others arrived and chased the
attacker away.
Constable Stephen Knight, M.B., Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medal of Bravery
On January 24, 2005, off-duty Cst. Stephen Knight, of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, risked his life to
rescue a man from a vicious attack, in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Cst. Knight was in the area with his wife
and some friends when he observed two individuals armed with knives attacking a man in a laneway. Although unarmed, Cst.
Knight ran to the scene and, after identifying himself as a police officer, attempted to intervene in the altercation. The
assailant turned to Cst. Knight, stabbed him on the back and inflicted knife wounds to his hand during the ensuing scuffle.
In spite of his injuries, Cst. Knight was able to subdue the fleeing aggressor and restrain him until other police officers
arrived.
Norman Wilson Leppan, M.B., North Bay, Ontario
Kathleen Anne Merrylees, M.B., Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Denise Edna Sheppard, M.B., Mindemoya, Ontario
Medal of Bravery
On June 19, 2003, Norman Leppan, Kathleen Merrylees and Denise Sheppard rescued a man trapped inside a burning
vehicle, on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. First to arrive on the scene, Mr. Leppan waved down Ms. Sheppard and Ms. Merrylees,
who rushed to help the seriously injured driver crushed between the steering wheel and the seat. Undaunted by the flames
spreading from the station wagon to surrounding trees, Mr. Leppan cut the seat belt while Ms. Sheppard, kneeling on the
front passenger seat, struggled to release it. In the meantime, Ms. Merrylees, who had climbed into the back seat,
grabbed the victim under the arms in an effort to pull him towards the passenger side of the vehicle. In spite of
the flames coming through the windshield, the trio then managed to pull the victim out of the vehicle and drag him a safe
distance away.
Ms. Merrylees and Ms. Sheppard received their decorations at a previous ceremony.
June Elaine Menzies, M.B., Abbotsford, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery
On October 22, 2002, June Menzies was injured when she tried to prevent her daughter's ex-boyfriend from stabbing
the 17-year-old girl in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Mrs. Menzies' daughter was holding her nine-month-old baby when the
knife-wielding man lunged at his ex-girlfriend and began stabbing her. Mrs. Menzies tried to intervene by grabbing the knife,
resulting in serious cuts to both her hands. Although she was unable to restrain the aggressor, she succeeded in lifting
the baby out of her daughter's arms and racing outside to get help. Both Mrs. Menzies and her seriously injured daughter
recovered from their wounds. The baby was unharmed.
John D. Rodger, M.B., Toronto, Ontario
Second Lieutenant Larry William Smith, M.B., Toronto, Ontario
Medal of Bravery
On May 18, 2003, John Rodger and 2Lt Larry Smith and averted a tragedy and helped in the arrest of three heavily
armed members of a violent gang following the Rodgers' home invasion in Toronto, Ontario. 2Lt Smith and his family were
at the Rodgers' house when three thugs forced their way inside and divided the seven occupants into two groups. In one room,
the attackers kicked their victims, stabbing one and hitting another with a bottle while trying to bind them with duct tape.
Mr. Rodger was slashed as he tried to restrain one knife-wielding attacker. Meanwhile, in the other room, despite having
a gun pointed at his head, 2Lt Smith seized the opportunity of the commotion next door to make noise and create the impression
that police were arriving, causing the aggressors to flee. 2Lt Smith and Mr. Rodger then gave chase to the fugitives,
following them into a subway station and aiding in their capture by police.
Craig Russel Saarinen, M.B., Hudson, Ontario
Medal of Bravery
Shortly after midnight on December 7, 2002, Craig Saarinen rescued his friend after their snowmobile had broken
through the ice, at Maude Lake, near Schreiber, Ontario. Mr. Saarinen had managed to get out of the water when he realized
that his friend was desperately trying to keep afloat. Missing one boot in minus 28oC temperature, Mr. Saarinen
made his way back to the hole in the ice, where he managed to grab hold of his friend's hand and pulled him out. Suffering
severe frostbite to his foot, he then began helping his friend toward their cabin. When the victim became numb with cold
and could walk no further, the friends decided that Mr. Saarinen would continue alone to get help at the cabin, some three
kilometres away. After the victim had been picked up, both men were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Peter Stacey, M.B., Surrey, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery
On August 3, 2003, Peter Stacey rescued three individuals from drowning at Okanagan Lake, British Columbia. Mr.
Stacey jumped from his boat when he realized that a man and a woman were unable to swim back to their own boat which was
being pushed away by metre-high waves. As he swam through the forceful surf toward the two victims, Mr. Stacey came upon
an unconscious woman, floating under the surface. He immediately grabbed hold of her and, battling the choppy waters, made
his way back to his drifting boat, where she was revived by others. Although exhausted from his efforts, Mr. Stacey returned
for the other two victims who were frantically struggling to stay afloat and, one at a time, he towed them to his boat,
where they received assistance.
Frank John Supernak, M.B. (posthumous), Osoyoos, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery
On November 10, 2002, winemaker Frank Supernak lost his life in a failed attempt to save a co-worker who had
accidentally fallen into a wine fermentation tank, in Oliver, British Columbia. Although aware of the danger caused by the
poisonous carbon dioxide found within fermentation tanks, Mr. Supernak tried to pull his unconscious colleague from the
container. When his efforts proved unsuccessful, he jumped into the vat and attempted to rescue his friend by lifting him
out to safety. Within seconds, Mr. Supernak also succumbed to the deadly fumes and lack of oxygen, and could not be revived.
The decoration awarded to Mr. Supernak will be received by his sister, Ms. Teresa McBride.
