June 16, 2009
OTTAWA – Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will present seven Stars of Courage and 40 Medals of Bravery at a ceremony at Rideau Hall, on Friday, June 19, 2009, at 10:30 a.m.
The Decorations for Bravery were created in 1972. The Cross of Valour (C.V.) recognizes acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril; the Star of Courage (S.C.) recognizes acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril; and the Medal of Bravery (M.B.) recognizes acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
A media schedule for the presentation ceremony (Annex A), a list of recipients (Annex B) and the recipients’ citations (Annex C), as well as a fact sheet on the Decorations for Bravery (Annex D) are attached.
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Media Information
Isabelle Serrurier
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-7280
www.gg.ca
www.citizenvoices.gg.ca
ANNEX A – SCHEDULE
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
The Governor General speaks
The Governor General presents the Decorations for Bravery
11:30 a.m.: National anthem
End of ceremony
Interviews with recipients
ANNEX B – RECIPIENTS
Star of Courage
| Sergeant David John Cooper, S.C., C.D. |
Winnipeg, Man. |
| RCMP Corporal Timothy Dunlap, S.C. |
Slave Lake, Alta. |
| Constable Christopher George Garrett, S.C. (posthumous) |
Cobourg, Ont. |
| Sergeant Dwayne B. Guay, S.C., C.D. |
Comox, B.C. |
| Petty Officer 2nd Class James Anthony Leith, S.C., M.S.M., C.D. |
Shearwater, N.S. |
| Sergeant Paul David Phee, S.C. |
Balzac, Alta. |
| Mathew B. Vizbulis, S.C. |
Fonthill, Ont. |
| Sony Anctil, M.B. |
Montréal, Que. |
| Allan Dale Bennett, M.B. |
Edson, Alta. |
| Geneviève Bergeron-Collin, M.B. |
Verdun, Que. |
| Constable Martin Bouchard, M.B. |
La Prairie, Que. |
| Aaron Buffett, M.B. |
Eastern Passage, N.S. |
| Léonard Corbeil, M.B. (posthumous) |
Québec, Que. |
| Marshall Davis, M.B. |
Edmonton, Alberta |
| Sean James Deakin, M.B. |
Qualicum Beach, B.C. |
| Master-Corporal Jonas Denechezhe, M.B. |
Lac Brochet, Man. |
| Constable Geneviève Descôteaux, M.B. |
Delson, Que. |
| Constable Catherine Dumas, M.B. |
Mascouche, Que. |
| Sergeant Carl Dussault, M.B. |
Deux-Montagnes, Que. |
| William Joseph Fitzpatrick, M.B. |
Fort McKay, Alta. |
| Harold Galliford, M.B. |
Jarvie, Alta. |
| Bonnoir Hadjadj, M.B. |
Québec, Que. |
| Master Corporal Frédéric Heppell, M.B. |
Québec, Que. |
| Constable Nathalie Hervieux, M.B. |
Dorval, Que. |
| Provincial Constable of the OPP Walter Erik Howells, M.B. |
Thunder Bay, Ont. |
| Alexander Hrycyk, M.B. |
Baie d’Urfé, Que. |
| Constable Henri-Louis Huot, M.B. |
Laval, Que. |
| Aaron Alvin Karton, M.B. |
Red Deer, Alta. |
| Denis Lecuyer, M.B. |
Ottawa, Ont. |
| Chris MacLean, M.B. |
Charlottetown, P.E.I. |
| Stephen Mallett, M.B. |
Mount Stewart, P.E.I. |
| Mark Timothy McKay, M.B. |
Calgary, Alta. |
| Edwin Norbert Merasty, M.B. |
Air Ronge, Sask. |
| Carol Parent, M.B. |
Dolbeau-Mistassini, Que. |
| Richard K. Randall, M.B. |
Red Deer, Alta. |
| Gary Read, M.B. |
Thunder Bay, Ont. |
| Joseph Eugene Stanley Rucchin, M.B. |
Enoch, Alta. |
| Ronald Savill, M.B. (deceased) |
High Prairie, Alta. |
| Tommy Servant Lantin, M.B. |
Pabos-Mills, Que. |
| Constable Catherine Simard, M.B. |
Candiac, Que. |
| Sarah Elizabeth Joy Smith, M.B. |
Medicine Hat, Alta. |
| Alphonse St. Pierre, M.B. |
Lac Brochet, Man. |
| Michel Talbi, M.B. |
Laval, Que. |
| Tina Lee Trombley, M.B. . |
Regina, Sask. |
| Clifford Tssessaze, M.B. |
Lac Brochet, Man. |
| Mackenzie Ramesh Smythe Walker, M.B. |
Ardrossan, Alta. |
| Norman Clyde Winsor, M.B. |
Harbour Grace, N.L. |
ANNEX C - CITATIONS
Star of Courage
Sergeant David John Cooper, S.C., C.D., Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sergeant Dwayne B. Guay, S.C., C.D., Comox, British Columbia
Star of Courage
On February 16, 2007, Sergeant David Cooper and Sergeant Dwayne Guay, then master corporal, parachuted in extreme weather conditions to rescue a man who was stranded on an ice flow in the Arctic Ocean in the Northwest Territories. After a difficult landing due to the strong winds, the two search and rescue technicians made their way to the victim, provided first aid, and set up shelter until help arrived, some 11 hours later.
RCMP Corporal Timothy Dunlap, S.C., Slave Lake, Alberta
Calgary Police Sergeant Paul David Phee, S.C., Balzac, Alberta
RCMP Constable Guy Armand Raes, S.C., Airdrie, Alberta
Star of Courage
In the early hours of August 30, 2005, RCMP constable Guy Raes, RCMP Corporal Tim Dunlap, then constable, and Calgary Police Sergeant Paul Phee evacuated residents during a massive fire involving several row houses, in Airdrie, Alberta. Corporal Dunlap and Constable Raes were dispatched to the scene, and with sirens blaring to alert the sleeping residents, they drove through flames that were arching high over the road. Along with Sergeant Phee, they searched through the fire zone, entering one of the fully engulfed houses to evacuate a young couple. With burning chunks of debris raining down on them, the officers continued their search until all residents had been evacuated.
RCMP Constable Raes is unable to attend the ceremony.
Constable Christopher George Garrett, S.C. (posthumous), Cobourg, Ontario
Star of Courage
On May 15, 2004, Constable Christopher Garrett lost his life, while on duty, after trying to prevent an unstable young man from escaping the scene of a crime in Cobourg, Ontario. After making a 911 call to report a false robbery, and to lure a police officer to an abandoned parking lot, the young man attacked Constable Garrett with a knife. Despite being critically wounded, Constable Garrett attempted to pursue his attacker and fired multiple shots, hitting the man in the leg before collapsing and succumbing to his own injuries. Through his final act of courage, Constable Garrett prevented his assailant from carrying out a plan to harm his fellow police officers and citizens.
The decoration awarded to Constable Garrett will be received by his father, Mr. Gordon Garrett and Constable Garrett’s son, Mr. Benjamin Garrett.
Petty Officer 2nd Class James Anthony Leith, S.C., M.S.M., C.D.,
Shearwater, Nova Scotia
Star of Courage
On September 28, 2006, Petty Officer 2nd Class James Leith risked his life to prevent the loss of civilian and military lives by dismantling an improvised explosive device (IED) on a road in the Pashmul area of Afghanistan. After his vehicle had been struck, Petty Officer 2nd Class Leith discovered an unstable IED. As his equipment had been destroyed in the original blast, he dismantled the IED using only his bayonet. His courageous actions enabled the reopening of a vital route for coalition forces.
Mathew B. Vizbulis, S.C., Fonthill, Ontario
Star of Courage
On July 29, 2006, Mathew Vizbulis rescued a man and his two sons from drowning in the Niagara River, in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Hearing cries for help from a woman, Mr. Vizbulis noticed the three victims in a swirling eddy several metres away. He dove into the turbulent waters to reach the father. Battling the strong current dragging them towards the rapids, he managed to get the man to shore. Mr. Vizbulis then swam out to the other victims, and, one at a time, brought them to safety. Thanks to his courage, all survived the ordeal.
Medal of Bravery
Sony Anctil, M.B., Montréal, Quebec
Constable Martin Bouchard, M.B., La Prairie, Quebec
Constable Geneviève Descôteaux, M.B., Delson, Quebec
Constable Catherine Simard, M.B., Candiac, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
In the early morning of February 3, 2004, Sony Anctil, then patroller, and constables Martin Bouchard, Geneviève Descôteaux and Catherine Simard risked their lives to evacuate the residents of a burning apartment building in Verdun, Quebec. After banging on all the doors to alert the occupants to the danger, constables Bouchard and Simard made their way to the front exit with great difficulty, but Mr. Anctil and constable Descôteaux became trapped in the smoke-filled stairwell. Running out of air, they opened a window on the first level, and were prepared to jump from it, when they heard constables Bouchard and Simard yelling to them from the entrance. Following the sound of their colleagues’ voices, they were able to exit the building safely.
Wesley Eugene Belland, M.B., Fort St. John, British Columbia
Allan Dale Bennett, M.B., Edson, Alberta
Aaron Buffett, M.B., Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia
Richard K. Colbourne, M.B., Edmonton, Alberta
Harold Galliford, M.B., Jarvie, Alberta
Mark Timothy McKay, M.B., Calgary, Alberta
Richard K. Randall, M.B., Red Deer, Alberta
Joseph Eugene Stanley Rucchin, M.B., Enoch, Alberta
Ronald R. Savill, M.B. (deceased), High Prairie, Alberta
Eric Patrick Shaffer, M.B., St. Albert, Alberta
Medal of Bravery
On January 28, 2005, the above-mentioned men attempted to rescue a co-worker who was trapped on a burning drilling rig, near Helmut, British Columbia. While drilling a surface hole, a blow-out explosion occurred, sending large rocks flying through the air and flames shooting up the derrick rig. Once gathered in a safe location, the crew noticed that one man was missing. Braving the danger, the workers located the man, who was still on the burning platform, experiencing difficulty with his harness. Although he was able to free himself, he was unable to go down, as his route was blocked by the fire. Despite the danger, the crew remained with their co-worker to hold a guide wire on which the victim tried to descend. Sadly, the man fell to the ground and sustained fatal injuries.
The decoration awarded to Mr. Savill will be received by his son, Mr. Ronald J. Savill.
Messrs. Belland, Colbourne and Shaffer are unable to attend the ceremony.
Geneviève Bergeron-Collin, M.B., Verdun, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On October 19, 2006, Geneviève Bergeron-Collin rescued a suicidal woman from drowning in the freezing waters of the St. Lawrence River, in Verdun, Quebec. Ms. Bergeron-Collin was walking her dog on the banks of the river when she was alerted to the situation by passers-by. She swam over 50 metres to reach the woman who was drifting away. While holding the victim’s head above water, Ms. Bergeron-Collin struggled against the strong current to bring her to shore, where others helped pull the unconscious woman to safety.
Léonard Corbeil, M.B. (posthumous), Québec, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On July 16, 2005, 56-year-old pilot Léonard Corbeil lost his life after trying to make an emergency landing and save his wife from their burning aircraft, near Saint-Ubald, Quebec. When the plane started experiencing mechanical problems and flames developed in the cabin, Mr. Corbeil guided the plane as close to the ground as possible. Suddenly, the craft lost all power and burst into flames. Although severely injured, Mr. Corbeil reached over to open the passenger door and pushed his wife out of the plane, ensuring her safety and eventual survival. Sadly, Mr. Corbeil did not survive the crash.
The decoration awarded to Mr. Léonard Corbeil will be received by his spouse, Ms. Lina Ouellet.
Marshall Davis, M.B., Edmonton, Alberta
Medal of Bravery
On November 18, 2006, ten year old Marshall Davis rescued a friend who was being attacked by a coyote in Edmonton, Alberta. Enjoying a snowball fight with friends at his home, Marshall ran to the backyard when he heard screams. He arrived to discover that a coyote had caught one of the boys by the leg and was biting him. The frightened child was desperately trying to escape when Marshall ran to him and shouted at the animal. When the coyote came after him, Marshall punched it in the face. The animal stopped only an instant before trying to attack him again. This time Marshall kicked him, ran to the front yard and, along with his friends, made it safely inside the house. The coyote was later trapped in the backyard and taken away.
Sean James Deakin, M.B., Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery
On May 2, 2006, Sean Deakin risked his life to rescue a man from a submerged vehicle near Qualicum Beach, British Columbia. The driver, who had apparently suffered a heart attack, lost control of the vehicle which ended up partially submerged in a lake. While the driver tried to exit through the passenger-side window, Mr. Deakin swam out to him and pulled him out of the vehicle. Struggling to bring the victim to shore, he called out to bystanders for help before being pulled under and losing his hold on the victim. Exhausted by the ordeal, Mr. Deakin was assisted out of the water. Sadly, the victim did not survive.
Master-Corporal Jonas Denechezhe, M.B., Lac Brochet, Manitoba
Alphonse St. Pierre, M.B., Lac Brochet, Manitoba
Clifford Tssessaze, M.B., Lac Brochet, Manitoba
Medal of Bravery
On October 13, 2006, Master-Corporal Jonas Denechezhe, Alphonse St. Pierre and Clifford Tssessaze rescued a mother and her two sons from a burning house, in Lac Brochet, Manitoba. Unable to enter the house, they broke a window to allow some of the dense smoke to escape. Using a front-end loader, they broke through a corner of the house to gain entry. The men located the mother and her two boys and brought them to safety. Sadly, one of the children died from his injuries.
Constable Catherine Dumas, M.B., Mascouche, Quebec
Sergeant Carl Dussault, M.B., Deux-Montagnes, Quebec
Constable Henri-Louis Huot, M.B., Laval, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On January 24, 2004, constables Catherine Dumas and Henri-Louis Huot, as well as Sergeant Carl Dussault, then constable, rescued a woman from a burning apartment in Montréal, Quebec. The officers broke down the locked door of the apartment and were engulfed in a dark, thick cloud of smoke. Feeling their way along the walls to find the occupants, they were soon forced out of the apartment due to the dense, toxic smoke. While Constable Dumas went to evacuate other residents of the building, Constable Huot re-entered the apartment and located a woman whose clothing was on fire. He put out the flames, and with Sergeant Dussault's help, brought the woman outside, where she soon regained consciousness.
William Joseph Fitzpatrick, M.B., Fort McKay, Alberta
Mackenzie Ramesh Smythe Walker, M.B., Ardrossan, Alberta
Medal of Bravery
On August 2, 2006, Mac Walker and Bill Fitzpatrick rescued a co-worker who was trapped inside an industrial boiler in Poplar Creek, Alberta. During a shutdown, two men had been cleaning inside the boiler when they decided to come down to escape the 60-degrees-Celsius heat. The descent mechanism jammed and the men were trapped on a swing stage, some 42 metres from the ground. One of the men was eventually rescued by the Emergency Response Team. Fearing that the second man would suffer from heat exhaustion, Messrs. Fitzpatrick and Walker got onto another swing stage, made their way up to the victim and, using a pole, pulled him towards them before bringing him down to safety. Sadly, the victim died in the hospital six days later.
Bonnoir Hadjadj, M.B., Québec, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On December 3, 2006, Bonnoir Hadjadj evacuated the mobility impaired residents from a burning rooming house, in Portneuf, Quebec. Alerted to a fire on the second floor, Mr. Hadjadj ran upstairs and attempted in vain to rescue a resident, but found that the man had jammed the door shut from the inside. Since the heat was becoming more intense and the smoke was getting thicker, Mr. Hadjadj alerted the other residents before returning to the main floor to ensure all remaining occupants had made it outside to safety. Shortly afterwards, the second floor collapsed due to the intense flames.
Master Corporal Frédéric Heppell, M.B., Québec, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On November 17, 2007, Master Corporal Frédéric Heppell, then corporal, rescued two colleagues from a burning military vehicle, during a night deployment, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, sustaining massive damage to its frame. In spite of the exploding munitions and raging fire, Master Corporal Heppell forced open the latch to his cabin, ran to help three men who were trapped in the back of the vehicle, but found them lying lifeless under pieces of twisted metal. He then located two wounded soldiers who had been ejected on impact and pulled them to a safer location just moments before the tank exploded completely.
Constable Nathalie Hervieux, M.B., Dorval, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On May 30, 2005, Constable Nathalie Hervieux prevented a suicidal woman from jumping off the ledge of a terrace at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montréal, Quebec. Arriving at the scene, the constable observed the woman sitting on the ledge of a lookout, some 18 meters from the ground. Fearing for the woman’s safety, Constable Hervieux quickly made her way up the stairs and climbed over the security fence. Grabbing the woman by the belt with one hand, she desperately clung to the fence with the other. She held tightly onto the woman who kept trying to slide herself off the narrow ledge out of the constable’s grasp. Once other officers arrived, they were able to pull the struggling woman and her rescuer to safety.
Provincial Constable of the OPP Walter Erik Howells, M.B., Thunder Bay, Ontario
Medal of Bravery
On May 14, 2006, while serving with the United Nations Police in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Provincial Constable Erik Howells of the Ontario Provincial Police risked his life to lead his men to safety during a prison riot. From the rooftop of the building, prisoners hurled bricks and large pieces of concrete at the guards and police, who were forced to retreat. Noticing that a few officers had retreated to an unsafe area with no means of escape, Constable Howells returned alone to lead them back to the rest of the team. After hours of confrontation, reinforcements arrived to bring the situation under control.
Alexander Hrycyk, M.B., Baie d’Urfé, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
In the early hours of December 16, 2005, Alex Hrycyk, then 21 years old, rescued an elderly woman from a burning house, in Baie d’Urfé, Quebec. Alerted by his friend, who had just escaped through a second floor window, that his 80-year-old grandmother was still trapped inside, Alex rushed to the residence, where he discovered thick, black smoke billowing through a slightly opened door. Acting quickly, Alex entered on his hands and knees, and made his way downstairs where he found the panicked victim who refused to exit, falsely believing her grandson was trapped in the fire upstairs. Alex picked her up, carried her outside, and brought her to his home where she was reunited with her grandson.
Aaron Alvin Karton, M.B., Red Deer, Alberta
Medal of Bravery
On July 24, 2005, Aaron Karton rescued a man from drowning in the Skaha River Canal, in Penticton, British Columbia. The victim had tied a rope around his ankle and had attached the other end to tubes for his children to ride down the canal. While passing under a bridge, the current pushed the tubes to one side of a pillar and pinned the father on the other side. Witness to the scene, Mr. Karton jumped into the strong current to help. Unable to loosen the rope, Mr. Karton tried to keep the victim’s head above water. In a panic, the man grabbed at his rescuer and pushed him under several times. Although exhausted, Mr. Karton finally managed to slip the rope off and brought the man to safety.
Denis Lecuyer, M.B., Ottawa, Ontario
Medal of Bravery
In the early hours of September 28, 2005, Denis Lecuyer prevented a woman from setting herself on fire, in Ottawa, Ontario. The distraught woman had poured kerosene over her head and body. Passing by, Mr. Lecuyer noticed her strange behaviour and saw her take out a box of matches. Without hesitation, he ran to the woman and tried to restrain her, preventing her from igniting the fire. Mr. Lecuyer managed to call 911, and restrained the woman until police arrived.
Clint Anthony Avery, M.B., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Chris MacLean, M.B., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Stephen Mallett, M.B., Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island
Paul Christopher Zakem, M.B., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Medal of Bravery
On July 17, 2005, Clint Avery, Chris MacLean, Stephen Mallett and Paul Zakem were instrumental in the rescue of three women who were drowning off Blooming Point Beach near Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Realizing that the group was being carried by a riptide into deep waters, Mr. Avery charged into the pounding surf to reach the panicking women. Completely exhausted after helping them stay afloat for 40 minutes, he was forced to head back to shore while Mr. Zakem swam out to the stranded swimmers with a boogie board. Mr. MacLean and Mr. Mallett assisted Mr. Zakem in pulling the victims closer to the beach. Responding emergency crews, joined by beachgoers, then formed a human chain to carry a rope to the victims, who were then pulled to safety.
Messrs. Avery and Zakem received their decoration at a previous ceremony.
Edwin Norbert Merasty, M.B., Air Ronge, Saskatchewan
Medal of Bravery
On June 1, 2005, 15-year-old Edwin Merasty rescued his 12-year-old friend from drowning in the Montreal River, in Air Ronge, Saskatchewan. The boys were swimming quietly when the friend was swept away by the strong current. Edwin swam to him, and submerging himself, pushed the boy up to keep his head above water. After struggling with the victim, Edwin managed to get him to the shore, where others helped pull them out of the water.
Carol Parent, M.B., Dolbeau-Mistassini, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On February 21, 2006, Carol Parent rescued his severely injured brother following a propane tank explosion in a house under construction, in Dolbeau-Mistassini, Quebec. The explosion set out a large ball of fire, which engulfed the victim and burnt the ladder leading to the main floor, trapping him in the basement. Witnessing the scene as he was driving up to the house, Mr. Parent ran to the opening from the basement window and called to his brother. As the disoriented and panicked victim was unable to respond, Mr. Parent crawled through the opening, dropped down to the basement floor and tried in vain to smother the flames on his brother’s clothing. Despite the intense heat and flames, Mr. Parent pushed his brother outside and climbed out behind him.
Provincial Constable of the OPP Dennis Armand Desjardins, M.B.,
Sioux Lookout, Ontario
Sergeant of the OPP M. Adam W. Illman, M.B., Kenora, Ontario
Gary Read, M.B., Thunder Bay, Ontario
Provincial Constable of the OPP Stephen Waite, M.B., Sioux Lookout, Ontario
Medal of Bravery
On August 19, 2006, Sergeant Adam Illman, constables Dennis Desjardins and Stephen Waite, as well as then constable Gary Read, rescued a man trapped in his burning car, near Sioux Lookout, Ontario. These Ontario Provincial Police officers encountered the flaming vehicle on its roof in a deep ditch. While constables Read and Waite attempted to extinguish the fire, Sergeant Illman and Constable Desjardins struggled to open the passenger door, which was embedded in the grass and mud. In spite of the intense flames, the four police officers managed to pull the unconscious and severely burned man from the wreck. They then dragged him to the shoulder of the road and remained with him until medical help arrived.
Sergeant Illman and constables Desjardins and Waite received their decoration at a previous ceremony.
Marc-Olivier Girard, M.B., Newport, Quebec
Lyne Lévesque, M.B., Port-Daniel-Gascons, Quebec
Tommy Servant Lantin, M.B., Pabos-Mills, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On June 20, 2006, teacher Lyne Lévesque and 12-year-old students Marc-Olivier Girard and Tommy Servant Lantin rescued six children from drowning during a school excursion in Bonaventure, Quebec. The children had just entered the water when they were swept away by the swift current into deeper water. Ms. Levesque immediately dove in to rescue two of the victims who had become trapped in a five-metre-deep eddy. Although she was pulled under several times, she managed to push the victims toward the shore before making her way back to safety. For his part, Marc-Olivier Girard swam out to three other victims some 20 metres away, and brought them back to safety one by one. Tommy Servant Lantin also jumped into the water to assist a friend. Fighting exhaustion, he was eventually assisted by Marc-Olivier to complete the rescue.
Mr. Girard and Ms. Lévesque received their decoration at a previous ceremony.
Sarah Elizabeth Joy Smith, M.B., Medicine Hat, Alberta
Medal of Bravery
On March 16, 2006, Sarah Smith entered a burning house twice to rescue four children, in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Sarah and the children’s mother were sitting outside when they noticed smoke coming from the oldest boy’s room. Without hesitation, Sarah entered the dwelling, located three of the children and brought them outside. She then re-entered the smoke-filled house and, braving the intense heat, retrieved the fourth child and guided her to safety.
Michel Talbi, M.B., Laval, Quebec
Medal of Bravery
On the night of October 4, 2004, Michel Talbi came to the aid of a neighbour who had been stabbed by her husband in Montréal, Quebec. Awakened by the cries of the victim, Mr. Talbi ran to the woman’s apartment where he found her alive but severely wounded. He immediately began to treat the victim’s injuries and, at one point, was forced to abandon his task to physically restrain the husband from re-entering the room. Placing the attacker into the custody of a male relative, Mr. Talbi was able to continue his care of the victim who unfortunately did not survive.
Tina Lee Trombley, M.B., Regina, Saskatchewan
Medal of Bravery
On July 17, 2005, Tina Trombley went to the aid of a man who was being beaten during an altercation at the closing of a night club, in Regina, Saskatchewan. Witness to the fight, Ms. Trombley managed to get in between the assailants and the unconscious victim, draping herself over top of him to shield him from further attacks. In the confusion that followed, a car driven by a fleeing assailant ran over both Ms. Trombley and the victim, dragging them a considerable distance until their bodies became dislodged from beneath the vehicle. While the victim was not seriously harmed, Ms. Trombley suffered serious injuries during the ordeal.
Norman Clyde Winsor, M.B., Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medal of Bravery
On March 7, 2006, Norman Winsor risked his life to evacuate 20 men following an ammonia leak inside the cargo hold of a shrimp trawler, in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador. Noticing a strong odour, he immediately ordered the crew to evacuate. From inside the back hatch, Mr. Winsor pushed the men outside before making his way to the other end of the hatch where he assisted others to safety. After ensuring that no one was left inside, Mr. Winsor was on his way to alert the remaining crew members on deck when, affected by the toxic fumes, he lost consciousness. He was then rushed to the hospital where he was treated for serious injuries due to the long exposure to the harmful gas.
ANNEX D - FACT SHEET ON DECORATIONS FOR BRAVERY
The Decorations for Bravery were created in 1972. They recognize people who risk their lives and choose to defy their own instinct of survival to try to save a loved one or a perfect stranger whose life is in immediate danger. Every year, countless incidents occur, fraught with a great deal of danger for the potential victims and rescuers. The three levels of bravery decorations reflect the degree to which the recipients put themselves at risk:
-the Cross of Valour (C.V.), recognizes acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril;
-the Star of Courage (S.C.), acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril;
-the Medal of Bravery (M.B.), acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
ELIGIBILITY
Anyone is free to propose the name of a person who has risked injury or death in an attempt to rescue another person. The incident need not have taken place in Canada, and the rescuer need not be Canadian, but Canadians or Canadian interests must be involved. The decorations may be awarded posthumously.
Nominations must be made within two years of the incident, or within two years after a public entity, including a court, a quasi-judicial tribunal or a coroner, has concluded its review of the circumstances surrounding the incident or act of bravery.
For more information on the Decorations for Bravery and on the recipients of these awards, please visit http://www.gg.ca/honours/decorations/bra/index_e.asp.
