Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: February 13, 1997
• Invested on: June 16, 1997

On May 28, 1996, Ed Scheer, a school bus driver, was dropping students off at Osoyoos High School in British Columbia when two youths armed with a loaded gun and a large hunting knife hijacked his bus with 14 students aboard. Mr. Scheer was ordered to drive to a recreational vehicle dealership where he pleaded with one of the aggressors to release the children. Eight of the youngest were allowed to get off the bus. Without alerting the hostage takers, Mr. Scheer then called the dispatch centre, establishing a vital communication link between the bus and the police. His calm determination and careful actions during this extremely volatile situation allowed authorities to finally negotiate a surrender. The remaining six children were released unharmed some 42 kilometres from Osoyoos, three hours after their ordeal began.