Rideau Hall, Friday, October 12, 2012
It is a great privilege to welcome you to Rideau Hall today for this very special presentation of the Decorations for Bravery.
Forty years ago, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, my predecessor the Right Honourable Roland Michener introduced these honours to pay tribute to the courage of people who find themselves thrown suddenly into extraordinary circumstances.
People like you, the recipients of the Decorations for Bravery whom we have gathered to recognize today.
As governor general, I am always struck by the contrast between the courageous acts being recognized and the unfailing humility of the recipients of this honour. We all know this narrative: an individual risks his or her own life for the sake of another, and then afterwards insists that they do not consider themselves to be a “hero.”
Is it false modesty, or simply a case of good manners that leads these brave individuals to show such humility? Or, is there something more profound to their modesty?
I happen to think there is something profound about it, and that the humility of those who act courageously points us towards the true nature of bravery.
Because let’s be frank: heroes in the popular sense are the stuff of comic books and movies. Heroes are extra-ordinary, and I suspect that, in reality, none of you thinks of yourself as a hero in that way.
I say this because, if you were superheroes, there would be nothing particularly special about your actions. Saving someone from drowning in a freezing river would be all in a day’s work. Entering a burning building would be no big deal. Standing between attacker and victim would be commonplace.
But your actions were not commonplace, nor were the crises you faced.
On the contrary, what is so remarkable about your acts of bravery is that they were the actions of real people. Each of you demonstrated our ability as human beings to transcend the instinct for self-preservation, and to act selflessly to help others—whatever the risk.
Your actions remind us that caring for others is an act of bravery, and that you do not need to be a hero to help someone in need.
With these decorations, you are part of a very special group of people that has been slowly growing in number for the past 40 years.
You come from across Canada and across generations. To date, the youngest recipient of this honour was Julius Rosenberg, who was just 5 years old when he saved his younger sister from a bear attack in West Hawk Lake, Manitoba.
I am also pleased to note that the eldest recipient to date, Mrs. Aline L’Ecuyer Lacroix, is being recognized for her bravery today. Mrs. Lacroix, who is 95 years old, played a critical role in the evacuation of a burning retirement home in Gatineau, Quebec.
Together, you have made a remarkable impact on peoples’ lives. As Canadians, we are in your debt.
I would like to take this opportunity to remember those who lost their lives in the tragic events that make these decorations necessary, as well as the courageous individuals who died trying to save others.
To their families and friends, I offer my sincere condolences.
I also want to thank the past and present members of the Advisory Committee, who have worked on this honour with such dedication over the years.
And finally, on behalf of all Canadians, I offer my deepest thanks to the recipients of the Decorations for Bravery for your remarkable courage and selflessness.
