June 12, 2007
OTTAWA–Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will present 36 Decorations for Bravery at a ceremony at Rideau Hall, on Friday, June 15, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. The decorations include one Star of Courage and 35 Medals of Bravery.
The Decorations for Bravery were created 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 presentation ceremony (Annex A), a complete list of recipients (Annex B) and the recipients' citations (Annex C) are attached.
-30-
Media InformationMarie-Paule ThornHonours Information OfficerRideau Hall Press Office613-993-2569www.gg.ca
ANNEX AThe scenario for the ceremony is as follows:9:45 a.m. Arrival of media 9:55 a.m. Sound and light checks10:00 a.m. Guests take their seats in the Ballroom10:15 a.m. All media are in place10:30 a.m. Her Excellency enters the BallroomThe Governor General speaksThe Governor General presents the Decorations for Bravery11:30 a.m. National anthemEnd of ceremonyInterviews with recipients
ANNEX B - RECIPIENTS
Star of Courage
Mark Jordan, S.C.
Mississauga, Ont.
Medal of Bravery
Constable Andrew Bakker, M.B.
Dorchester, Ont.
Sharon Jean Bard, M.B.
Champion, Alta.
Private Jonathan David Olivier Beaudin, M.B.
Lorraine, Que.
Wayne Terrence Bhnisch, M.B.
Morinville, Alta.
Rachel Davis, M.B. (posthumous)
Vancouver, B.C.
Matthew de Koning, M.B.
Cache Creek, B.C.
Kayla Denomme, M.B.
Toronto, Ont.
Kiana Denomme, M.B.
Toronto, Ont.
André Gagné, M.B.
Que. City, Que.
Éric Girard, M.B.
Sherbrooke, Que.
Rocky Hanson, M.B.
Edmonton, Alta.
Osman Hersi, M.B.
Toronto, Ont.
Jessica Lauren Holman-Price, M.B. (posthumous)
Portugal Cove, N.L.
Constable Philip L. Hordijk, M.B.
Goderich, Ont.
Robin William Johnstone, M.B.
Bowmanville, Ont.
Constable John Legault, M.B.
London, Ont.
Thomas Murray Martin, M.B.
Pickering, Ont.
Hans McKee, M.B.
Omemee, Ont.
Sarah McLean, M.B.
Amherstburg, Ont.
Robert Miller, M.B.
Fraserville, Ont.
Prakash Mulchand, M.B. (posthumous)
Winnipeg, Man.
Daniel Harold Peacock, M.B.
Rimbey, Alta.
Charles François Pelletier, M.B., C.D.
Victoria, B.C.
Claude Plante, M.B.
Lambton, Que.
Constable Gerald Proctor, M.B.
Delta, B.C.
James Daniel Reilly, M.B.
Etobicoke, Ont.
Jamie D. W. Robertson, M.B.
Calgary, Alta.
Joseph Allan Sinclair, M.B.
Morinville, Alta.
Constable Scott Sladek, M.B.
Komoka, Ont.
Bradley Patrick Roy Smith, M.B.
Edmonton, Alta.
Acting Sergeant Leon Tadeusz Sowa, M.B.
Pickering, Ont.
Sergeant W. Dean Streefkerk, M.B.
London, Ont.
Gerald Alfred Strickland, M.B.
Newman's Cove, N.L.
Detective-Constable Paul Gordon Stuart, M.B.
Whitby, Ont.
J. Robert Walsh, M.B., C.D.
Brampton, Ont.
ANNEX C - CITATIONS
Mark Jordan, S.C. Mississauga, OntarioStar of Courage
On September 6, 2005, Mark Jordan was seriously injured while fighting off a black bear that was attacking his wife at a remote campsite in Missinaibi Provincial Park, Ontario. The couple was setting up camp when the large bear suddenly attacked Mr. Jordan's wife and began dragging her into the woods. Mr. Jordan confronted the animal, which backed off momentarily then charged back at the victim. Armed only with a pocketknife, Mr. Jordan wrestled with the animal and repeatedly stabbed it until it finally released her. Tracked by the wounded bear, he managed to drag his wife to the beach despite his own injuries, to pull her into their kayak and to paddle towards a nearby campsite to get assistance. Sadly, his wife did not survive
Constable Andrew Bakker, M.B. Dorchester, OntarioConstable Philip L. Hordijk, M.B.Goderich, OntarioConstable John Legault, M.B.London, OntarioConstable Scott Sladek, M.B.Komoka, OntarioSergeant W. Dean Streefkerk, M.B.London, OntarioMedal of Bravery
On June 27, 2005, these five London Police Service officers entered a burning house to rescue a mother and two of her children who were under the threat of an armed intruder in London, Ontario. Acting on information that a man had broken into the house and had assaulted the mother, the officers immediately approached the home. The gunman fired at them through a front window. As the police officers retreated for cover, they heard several more shotgun blasts from inside. Witnessing the gunman set fire to the house, they decided to enter immediately. Tragically, the gunman had shot and killed the three victims and then turned the gun on himself.
Sharon Jean Bard, M.B. Champion, AlbertaMedal of Bravery
On December 10, 2005, Sharon Bard rescued her 13-year-old grandson and her husband from a fire that had spread through their home in Champion, Alberta. Awakened to the early morning fire by her husband's screams, Mrs. Bard jumped out of bed to alert her grandson and then led him outside through the burning debris falling on them. Despite severe burns to her hands and feet, she went back in to search for her mobility-impaired husband. Feeling her way through the thick, toxic smoke, she located the semi-conscious man on the hallway floor, grabbed him by his shirt and dragged him outside to safety.
Private Jonathan David Olivier Beaudin, M.B. Lorraine, QuebecMedal of Bravery
On September 20, 2005, Private Jonathan Beaudin rescued his team leader trapped inside their submerged armoured vehicle during a night tactical training exercise at Canadian Forces Base Wainright, in Alberta. The soft earth on which the vehicle was travelling suddenly gave way, sending it rolling into the frigid water of the Battle River. Although disoriented and in complete darkness, Private Beaudin was able to find a tiny air pocket in a corner of the overturned machine. The other two victims remained trapped and submerged. Despite his injuries, Private Beaudin pulled one of his colleagues from his precarious position and led him through the combat door to safety. Regrettably, the accident claimed the life of the driver of the vehicle.
Wayne Terrence Bhnisch, M.B. Morinville, AlbertaJoseph Allan Sinclair, M.B. Morinville, AlbertaMedal of Bravery
On March 27, 2004, Correctional Service Canada officers Wayne Bhnisch and Joseph Sinclair put their lives at risk when they disarmed a mentally disturbed inmate holding a live grenade at a prison in Dubrava, Kosovo. The officers were working in an office when the prisoner suddenly burst in and struck Mr. Sinclair in the back. When the officers realized that the inmate was holding a grenade with the pin removed, they rushed forward and, undaunted by the weapon, tackled the aggressor. While they fought to subdue the offender and prevent him from releasing the grenade, they instructed other people in the vicinity to evacuate the building. After struggling with the armed man for some 20 minutes, they managed to push him against the wall and quickly exited the room, securing the door behind them before they escaped to safety. Several hours later, the prisoner surrendered to police.
Rachel Davis, M.B. (posthumous) Vancouver, British ColumbiaMedal of Bravery
In the early hours of January 3, 2004, 23-year-old Rachel Davis lost her life after breaking up a gang assault on a teenage boy in Vancouver, British Columbia. The fight took place outside a nightclub where she had been with friends. Witnessing the commotion, she ran to intervene. In an attempt to stop the beating, she jumped into the middle of the fray to shield the unconscious victim from the blows. The attack stopped, but in the scuffle that ensued, a gun was pulled out by a member of a rival gang and shots were fired. Tragically, Ms. Davis received gunshot wounds to the head and died on her way to the hospital.
Matthew de Koning, M.B. Cache Creek, British ColumbiaMedal of Bravery
On December 15, 2005, Matthew de Koning risked his life to disarm a suicidal man in a local bar in Langley, British Columbia. The distraught man, armed with a hunting rifle, stormed into the bar and chambered a round. As patrons started running for the exit, Mr. de Koning confronted the gunman. Without concern for his own safety, he tried to calm the man down and quickly grabbed the rifle from his hands. Other people then helped restrain the disturbed man until police arrived.
Kayla Denomme, M.B. Kiana Denomme, M.B. Toronto, OntarioMedal of Bravery
On August 19, 2005, 13-year-old Kayla Denomme and her 12-year-old sister Kiana saved their grandmother from drowning in the flooded basement of their house during a heavy rainstorm in Toronto, Ontario. Warned of an impending tornado, the trio took refuge in the basement but the water started coming in and rapidly filled the room. The girls tried in vain to break through a window in the hope of scrambling out. While swimming amongst the floating furniture and debris in some two metres of cold, dark and dirty water, they managed to grab hold of their grandmother and made their way outside through the front door before taking shelter at a neighbour's house.
André Gagné, M.B. Quebec City, QuebecMedal of Bravery
On September 6, 2005, André Gagné rescued a colleague who had fallen into the Saint - Charles River in Quebec City, Quebec. The two men were repairing a bridge when the victim lost his footing on the scaffolding and fell over five metres into the cloudy waters of the river. Without any concern for his own safety, Mr. Gagné immediately jumped from a cement platform into the river to save him. He dove under the water four times before finding the unconscious man who had become trapped under the murky water almost three metres deep. Although he was exhausted, Mr. Gagné brought his colleague to the surface and swam five metres to a raft, where other workers were waiting to help them.
Éric Girard, M.B. Sherbrooke, QuebecMedal of Bravery
On August 7, 2005, Éric Girard saved his fiancée from drowning in Lac Saint-Jean, Quebec, after the couple's personal watercraft experienced mechanical difficulty. As night fell and they were too far from shore to be heard or seen, the couple found themselves in the water when waves over a metre high capsized their watercraft. After trying for several hours, in vain, to tow the watercraft, Mr. Girard began swimming to shore while pulling his fiancée, who was barely conscious and suffering from hypothermia. It was not until dawn, after courageously battling the powerful waves for more than four hours, that Mr. Girard finally managed to reach the shore at Vauvert, some 36 kilometres from the couple's starting point, where they received help.
Rocky Hanson, M.B.Edmonton, AlbertaBradley Patrick Roy Smith, M.B.Edmonton, AlbertaMedal of Bravery
On November 11, 2005, Rocky Hanson and Brad Smith rescued several senior residents from a burning apartment complex in Edmonton, Alberta. Mr. Smith was visiting his grandmother when he was alerted to a fire in a nearby suite. Without hesitation, he rushed over and, with a fire extinguisher, tried to put out the flames engulfing an unconscious man. Forced to abandon his efforts due to the rapidly spreading fire that ultimately claimed the victim's life, he retreated outside where he met up with Mr. Hanson, another visitor alerted to the fire. Together, they ran back inside and, although unable to see in the smoke-filled hallways and stairwells, made their way through the three-story building, kicking in doors and evacuating several residents before firefighters arrived and took over.
Osman Hersi, M.B.Toronto, OntarioMedal of Bravery
On June 8, 2005, 17-year-old Osman Hersi rescued a blind man who had fallen onto the subway tracks at the Sheppard-Yonge station in Toronto, Ontario. On his way to school, Mr. Hersi was waiting for the subway when he witnessed the visually impaired victim stagger toward the edge of the platform and tumble onto the tracks. Mr. Hersi raced to the scene and, without regard for his own safety, jumped down onto the rails where the victim lay motionless. Determined to save the man, Mr. Hersi picked him up and helped him onto the platform where other passengers assisted in the rescue. He then climbed out only moments before the train roared into the station.
Jessica Lauren Holman-Price, M.B. (posthumous) Portugal Cove, Newfoundland and LabradorMedal of Bravery
On December 19, 2005, 21-year-old Jessica Holman‑Price lost her life while preventing her 10‑year-old brother from being crushed by the wheels of a snow-removal truck in Montreal, Quebec. The two were standing on a snowbank at a busy intersection, waiting to cross the street. When the light turned green, the truck came around the corner and caught the edge of the mound, causing the boy to slide under the vehicle. Ms. Holman-Price reached for him but she too lost her footing and slid under the wheels of the truck. In a split second, she managed to push her brother out of harm's way before the massive truck fatally injured her.
Robin William Johnstone, M.B.Bowmanville, OntarioThomas Murray Martin, M.B.Pickering, OntarioActing Sergeant Leon Tadeusz Sowa, M.B.Pickering, OntarioDetective-Constable Paul Gordon Stuart, M.B.Whitby, OntarioMedal of Bravery
On October 29, 2005, Robin Johnstone, Murray Martin, Acting Sergeant Leon Sowa and Detective-Constable Paul Stuart rescued a suicidal woman who had set fire to her house in Ajax, Ontario. After gaining entry and searching the front rooms, they went down the hallway but were forced back out by the heavy smoke. The men re-entered the house by kicking in the back door, which was obstructed with pieces of wood. Crawling under the thick smoke, they searched the bedrooms and hallway, retreating outside often to get fresh air. They finally located the semi-conscious victim in the kitchen, hiding under a desk and office equipment that she had placed in front of her for concealment. Despite their great difficulty breathing, the rescuers grabbed the resisting woman and carried her outside to safety.
Hans McKee, M.B.Omemee, OntarioRobert Miller, M.B.Fraserville, OntarioMedal of Bravery
On May 17, 2004, Hans McKee and Robert Miller went to the aid of a man and a woman whose canoe had capsized in Lake Opeongo, in Algonquin Park, The couple had been caught in bad weather and the crashing waves sank their craft, throwing them into the freezing water. From the beach, off-duty paramedics McKee and Miller noticed the pair hanging onto the swamped canoe, furiously kicking to return to shore. They immediately grabbed their own canoe and took to the lake. Braving the forceful winds and rolling two-metre waves, they maneuvered their unstable craft close enough to throw a rope to the victims. With the couple in tow, they began paddling and, despite being nearly exhausted, they managed to reach the safety of the shore, one hour after the ordeal began.
Sarah McLean, M.B.Amherstburg, OntarioMedal of Bravery
On January 30, 2006, Sarah McLean rescued three people from a house that burst into flames after an explosion in Amherstburg, Ontario. On hearing the blast and seeing smoke coming from the house across the street, Ms. McLean, then four months pregnant, ran to investigate. Noticing that the occupants were still inside, she rushed to the front door, which a man was trying to kick open. Without concern for her own safety, Ms. McLean removed the frame of the blown out living room window and climbed inside the smoke-filled house. As the back of the house was engulfed in flames, she led the dazed occupants out through the window one by one before she left the house and guided the group to safety.
Prakash Mulchand, M.B. (posthumous)Winnipeg, ManitobaMedal of Bravery
On August 3, 2005, 44-year-old Prakash Mulchand lost his life while trying to rescue his eight-year-old son from drowning in the Assiniboine River in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. The boy slipped off a concrete platform from which he had been fishing with his father and his cousin and was swept away by the current. Mr. Mulchand immediately jumped into the water to save him from the pounding waves, all the while calling for help. The boy managed to swim to his father and grab onto him but the two became separated and were carried away by the swirling current. The unconscious child was eventually recovered by a man who pulled him onto his personal watercraft and brought him to shore, where he was revived. Sadly, Mr. Mulchand had disappeared under the surface and could not be saved.
Daniel Harold Peacock, M.B.Rimbey, AlbertaMedal of Bravery
On June 24, 2006, 15-year-old Daniel Peacock rescued a friend from drowning in the Ram River, near Nordegg, Alberta. The victim accidentally slipped from a five-metre-high cliff, hit his head and fell into a deep pool of water some 15 metres from the bank. Daniel immediately dove to his rescue but the two were swept apart by the current and into a whirlpool. Finally reaching his friend's side, grabbed hold of him, but the frightened teen kept pulling him under water. In spite of the strong undertow and with his panicked friend climbing onto his shoulders, used the rocks underfoot to propel them both to the surface, where the victim was able to float on his back until he was close enough to the shore to be pulled to safety by others. Meanwhile, got hold of a fallen tree and manoeuvred himself into a calmer pool of water, where other people came to his assistance.
Charles François Pelletier, M.B., C.D.Victoria, British ColumbiaMedal of Bravery
On May 27, 2004, Charles Pelletier, then a volunteer with the United Nations in Bukavu, Congo, spearheaded the evacuation of 42 people from the Orchid Hotel during gun battles between rebels and the Congolese army. When the armed troops moved closer to the hotel compound, Mr. Pelletier assembled the occupants and instructed them to take refuge on the lower floor of the lobby, which afforded more protection from mortar rounds and machine-gun fire. Acting as a human shield, he then repeatedly exposed himself to gunfire as he escorted the fleeing hotel occupants, in groups of 10, across the open courtyard to armoured personnel carriers. Thanks to Mr. Pelletier's efforts, the group escaped the riots and safely reached the UNcompound, one kilometre away.
Claude Plante, M.B.Lambton, QuebecMedal of Bravery
On March 14, 2006, Claude Plante rescued an elderly man from drowning off Margarita Island, in Venezuela. Realizing that the man was in trouble, Mr. Plante grabbed a boogie board, jumped into the high waves and swam out to him. He handed the man the floatation device and, struggling against the powerful undertow, pushed him back towards the shore until they could touch bottom. Exhausted, Mr. Plante was suddenly caught in the undercurrent and pulled back to sea where he lost consciousness. Fortunately, onlookers were able to reach him and bring him back to safety.
Constable Gerald Proctor, M.B.Delta, British ColumbiaMedal of Bravery
On the night of January 2, 2006, in Vancouver, British Columbia, police constable Gerald Proctor saved a woman from drowning after the car in which she was travelling was involved in a violent collision and landed in the Fraser River, some 20 metres from shore. Moments after the impact, the injured victim emerged from the sinking vehicle, calling desperately for help as she was swept downstream in the fast-flowing river. Witness to the scene, Cst. Proctor plunged into the freezing water and, battling the forceful current, swam to the woman some 40 metres out. Although exhausted and suffering from hypothermia, he managed to grab hold of her clothes and pulled her to shore where other police personnel offered assistance.
James Daniel Reilly, M.B.Etobicoke, OntarioMedal of Bravery
On December 19, 2005, off-duty firefighter James Reilly risked his life to rescue a woman from a burning house in Etobicoke, Ontario. As he was driving by, Mr. Reilly noticed smoke billowing from the house and stopped to investigate. After calling 911, he knocked on the door to alert the lone occupant. Receiving no response, he kicked down the locked door and crawled into the house but was quickly forced out by the heavy smoke. Undeterred, he raced back inside the flaming building. Feeling around blindly, he located the unconscious victim and attempted to pull her outside but, overwhelmed by the choking fumes, retreated from the house again. Mr. Reilly charged into the structure a third time, managed to dislodge the woman, whose leg had become stuck in the doorway, and dragged her outside. Tragically, despite Mr. Reilly's best efforts, the victim did not survive.
Jamie D. W. Robertson, M.B.Calgary, AlbertaMedal of Bravery
On October 31, 2005, in Calgary, Alberta, Jamie Robertson came to the rescue of his neighbour who was being stabbed after opening her door to a man masquerading as a trick-or-treater. The intruder had pushed his way inside and was lungeing at the victim repeatedly with a knife. Hearing the woman's screams, Mr. Robertson immediately rushed to her aid from his basement suite. He burst through the front door and pushed the assailant off the victim, struggling to gain control of the weapon. As both men fell out of the open doorway onto the ground outside, the attacker managed to break free from Mr. Robertson's grip and escaped. Despite the serious stab wounds that she incurred during the vicious attack, the victim recovered.
Gerald Alfred Strickland, M.B.Newman's Cove, Newfoundland and LabradorMedal of Bravery
On January 23, 2006, Gerald Strickland saved an elderly couple from their burning house in Newman's Cove, and Labrador. After entering the flaming house, he called out to the occupants and heard a muffled reply from the man. Through the blinding smoke, Mr. Strickland made his way towards the kitchen where he bumped into the man's wheelchair, stuck in the doorway. Although gasping for air, Mr. Strickland was able to free the chair and bring the man outside. Only once they were outside did he notice that the victim's wife had been holding onto the chair as it was pulled to safety, seconds before the house was completely destroyed by the flames.
J. Robert Walsh, M.B., C.D.Brampton, OntarioMedal of Bravery
On 7, 2004, Mr. Robert Walsh, a teacher at an elementary school in Brampton, Ontario, single-handedly broke up a vicious assault on a 17-year old boy by five armed teenagers. Informed by a colleague that a fight had broken out in the schoolyard, Mr. Walsh rushed to intervene. he reached the scene, two of the attackers ran off while another continued beating the victim on the head with a metal bar. Without hesitation, Mr. Walsh tackled the armed assailant and struggled with him until he dropped the weapon. With complete disregard for his own safety, he then attempted to fight off the remaining aggressors who were continuing their assault on the downed victim. The gang finally fled when another teacher arrived on the scene and called the police.
