Star of Courage
Hally Dubois, S.C. (posthumous)
Lacombe, Alberta
Star of Courage
Dale Holloway, M.B.
Okanagan Falls, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery
On June 30, 2015, Hally Dubois and Dale Holloway intervened in an armed assault at Berland Open Camp, a remote oil site located southwest of Fox Creek, Alberta. Just before 1 a.m., the camp workers were awoken by the sound of screaming. As Ms. Dubois ran out of her room, she saw a co-worker stabbing another colleague. Pleading with the perpetrator to stop, she jumped on his back to prevent further injury, but was subsequently attacked. Mr. Holloway pursued the perpetrator outside and attempted to dissuade him through conversation. After being threatened multiple times, Mr. Holloway and three other colleagues left the premises by vehicle. Emergency services arrived on scene and the culprit was quickly apprehended. Sadly, neither Ms. Dubois nor her colleague survived.
The decoration awarded to the late Hally Dubois will be presented to her mother, Terry Lynn Stewart.
Medal of Bravery
Constable Marc-André Arpin, M.B.
Constable Annie Arseneau, M.B.
Commander Patrice Bigras, M.B.
Constable Jimmy Hébert, M.B.
Constable Paul Morin, M.B.
Constable Danny Paquette, M.B.
Sergeant Hugues Thibault, M.B.
Montréal, Quebec
On August 31, 2017, constables Marc-André Arpin, Annie Arseneau, Jimmy Hébert, Paul Morin and Dany Paquette, Commander Patrice Bigras and Sergeant Hugues Thibault, all of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, rescued a baby from a burning apartment. While in the area for another operation, they were alerted by bystanders that a residential building was on fire. Constables Arpin and Arseneau entered neighbouring apartments to evacuate the residents before going into the apartment where the baby was located. Along with Commander Bigras and Constable Hébert, they entered the baby’s room to search for her while holding on to a lifeline. Because of the thick smoke and intense heat, they had to leave after a few seconds. At the same time, constables Morin and Paquette, along with Sergeant Thibault, entered the apartment through the balcony door into the kitchen, where the fire was located. They used a dozen extinguishers to dampen the flames, which allowed Constable Arpin to find the baby and get her out of the apartment safely.
Margaret Irene Bell, M.B.
Calgary, Alberta
On August 1, 2017, Margaret Bell saved a man from drowning in the Glenmore Reservoir in Calgary, Alberta. While walking in the area, Ms. Bell saw the victim struggling in the water, calling for help and trying to remain above the surface. Without hesitating, she ran to the shore and jumped into the water while reassuring the victim. She swam some 50 metres in the very cold, deep water to reach the man, who was panicking and grabbed onto her. Ms. Bell moved back while encouraging the man to calm down, then tossed her sweater to him for him to hold on to. She managed to pull the victim to shore, then told him to put his arms around her neck so that she could lift him out of the water safely while they waited for help to arrive.
Charles John Brien, M.B.
Mistissini, Quebec
On May 9, 2018, Charlie Brien saved a young girl from a fire in Mistissini, Quebec. While out walking in his neighbourhood, Mr. Brien saw some smoke and immediately made his way toward the burning house, where a four-year-old girl was alone. He broke a basement window with his foot, then entered the house, which was filled with thick smoke, but had to leave to catch his breath. Entering the house a second time, Mr. Brien found the young girl on the floor, not far from the growing flames. He grabbed her under the arms and pulled her out through the window to safety.
Julie Callaghan, M.B.
Yvonne Jeanette Kanis, M.B.
Chilliwack, British Columbia
On May 26, 2018, Julie Callaghan and Yvonne Jeanette Kanis attempted to rescue a man caught in the path of an oncoming train in Chilliwack, British Columbia. The man was crossing a railroad track on a mobility scooter when the signal lights activated and the guard rails descended. The wheels of his scooter suddenly pivoted and became lodged in between the tracks, locking the man in place. Witnessing the scene, Ms. Callaghan and Ms. Kanis leapt from their parked vehicles, ducked under the gate and attempted, in vain, to dislodge the chair. They then turned their attention to unbuckling the man’s seat belt and tried to lift him off the scooter. With the train bearing down on them, the women jumped to safety, though Ms. Callaghan was severely injured in the process. Sadly, the man did not survive.
Captain Bryce Carey, M.B.
Aylesford, Nova Scotia
Volunteer Chief Shawn Carey, M.B.
Aylesford, Nova Scotia
1st Deputy Chief Owen Collins, M.B.
Auburn, Nova Scotia
Mark Robinson, M.B.
Aylesford, Nova Scotia
On April 26, 2015, members of the Aylesford and District Volunteer Fire Department rescued an elderly couple from a car submerged in the Annapolis River, in Aylesford, Nova Scotia. The driver, stricken by illness, had swerved off the highway and into the river. Arriving on the scene, Shawn Carey and Mark Robinson grabbed the fire truck’s winch cable and swam toward the vehicle. Mr. Robinson used an axe to cut a hole in the windshield and, with Bryce Carey’s assistance, connected the winch to the vehicle. Shawn Carey pulled the passenger onto the roof of the car and Mr. Robinson brought her to shore. Turning his attention to the driver, Mr. Robinson dove several times to free the victim’s foot from where it was pinned by the brake pedal, while Bryce Carey and Owen Collins held the driver’s head above the rushing water. They worked together to remove the victim from the car via the window and brought him to shore. Sadly, the driver did not survive.
The decoration awarded to Owen Collins was presented to him previously.
Constable Daryl Case, M.B.
Maidstone, Saskatchewan
On April 14, 2018, RCMP Constable Daryl Case intervened in a car theft involving two armed suspects near Bresaylor, Saskatchewan. The suspects reportedly stabbed a cab driver before fleeing in the stolen van. Locating the vehicle on the highway, Constable Case pursued the perpetrators, one of whom shot at him through the passenger window. The suspects quickly veered off the highway onto a deserted road, where the driver emerged and fired two rounds of his rifle at the officer. Using his car door as a shield, Constable Case ducked and returned fire. He called for backup as the driver fired two more rounds, narrowly missing the constable. As police arrived on the scene, the suspects tried to escape in their vehicle, but got stuck in a ditch. Constable Case ordered the suspects to exit the stolen van and placed them under arrest.
Kaden Clouston, M.B.
Mackenzie Terrance Vatter-Martineau, M.B.
Calgary, Alberta
On March 25, 2017, Kaden Clouston and Mackie Vatter-Martineau helped people escape a burning strip mall in Calgary, Alberta. Spotting smoke from across the street, Mr. Vatter-Martineau entered the three-storey strip mall and started knocking on windows and doors to alert the occupants to the fire. As he was evacuating a woman, they became trapped on a balcony by the fire. He held onto the railing with one hand and lowered the woman down so she could safely drop to the ground below. At that point, Mr. Clouston entered the building, warning tenants on the second level on his way to the third storey. He found two people in a unit and convinced them to evacuate. On his way out, he had to run through smoke and flames to reach the ground level.
The decoration awarded to Mackenzie Terrance Vatter-Martineau was presented to him previously.
Kimberly Cossette, M.B.
Calgary, Alberta
On September 26, 2018, Kimberly Cossette prevented the abduction of a child in Calgary, Alberta. Ms. Cossette was driving down a street when she saw a woman attack a mother and try to take the child from her arms. Ms. Cossette immediately pulled over and intervened, shoving the attacker away from the mother. She then told the woman and child to run to her vehicle for safety. As Ms. Cossette frantically searched for her car keys, the attacker pushed her to the ground and started kicking her. A bystander arrived on the scene and the suspect fled, but was apprehended by police shortly after. Ms. Cossette remained with the mother and child until emergency services arrived.
Andrew Daub, M.B.
Daryl Eckert, M.B.
Timothy Harrison, M.B.
Trevor Vanderhyden, M.B.
Mitchell, Ontario
On February 22, 2016, Andrew Daub, Daryl Eckert, Tim Harrison and Trevor Vanderhyden rescued two people suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a defective boiler in Mitchell, Ontario. First on the scene, Mr. Eckert found one of the victims in a semi-conscious state. Mr. Harrison then arrived and helped Mr. Eckert carry the man out of the building. Responding to a radio call about the situation, Mr. Daub and Mr. Vanderhyden arrived at the gas-filled building and ran up to the second level, where they found the other victim foaming at the mouth. Strapping him to a wheeled office chair, Mr. Daub and Mr. Vanderhyden rolled the second victim to the top of the stairs and, with Mr. Harrison’s help, carried him to safety.
The decoration awarded to Daryl Eckert will be presented to him at a later date.
Michael Allen Easton, M.B.
Milton, Ontario
On April 10, 2016, Michael Easton attempted to rescue two young men from their burning vehicle in Milton, Ontario. After crashing into a pole, the victims’ vehicle filled with thick smoke before it was completely engulfed in flames. Arriving on scene, Mr. Easton realized that the driver had passed away from the impact of the crash. He hurried over to the passenger side and tried to pull the second victim out of the car, but was unable to detach his seat belt. With the help of a bystander, the seat belt was cut loose and Mr. Easton quickly pulled the man out of the vehicle to safety. Sadly, the second victim also succumbed to his injuries.
Russell Fee, M.B.
Calgary, Alberta
On August 9, 2019, Russell Fee rescued a man from a wolf attack at the Rampart Creek campground, located near Lake Louise, Alberta. Woken by the sound of screaming, Mr. Fee ran to his neighbour’s campsite and witnessed a grey wolf with its jaws locked on a man’s arm attempting to drag him out of a destroyed tent. Charging toward the wolf, Mr. Fee forcefully kicked the animal until it released its grip on the victim. As the wolf paced around the campsite, Mr. Fee threw rocks at the animal and urged the victim’s family to run and hide in his van. Once the family was secured inside the vehicle, Mr. Fee drove to a nearby cellular zone to call emergency services. Following the incident, the campground was evacuated and conservation officers arrived to secure the scene.
Richard William Fisk, M.B.
Minto, Ontario
Leonard Rice, M.B.
Hanover, Ontario
Paul Derek Snow, M.B.
Hanover, Ontario
On May 31, 2017, Rick Fisk, Leonard Rice and Paul Snow rescued members of a family from a burning vehicle in Minto, Ontario. The family’s truck had hit a tree in front of Mr. Fisk’s residence and burst into flames. Mr. Fisk and Mr. Snow ran over and attempted to pull the driver out. Realizing that there was an infant in the rear seat, they broke the window, allowing Mr. Snow to enter the vehicle, unbuckle the child and hand her to a bystander. Mr. Rice arrived shortly after and helped extricate the driver. Once the man was freed, the three men moved to the passenger side and worked to rescue a woman trapped in the wreckage. Tragically, she succumbed to her injuries.
The decoration awarded to Paul Derek Snow was presented to him previously.
Jacob Fournier-Barnaby, M.B.
Shediac Cape, New Brunswick
On November 30, 2015, 16-year-old Jacob Fournier-Barnaby saved his mother from an armed assailant in Grande-Digue, New Brunswick. The woman’s ex-husband had arrived at her residence with a rifle and forced his way into the house by breaking down the front door. From the basement, Mr. Fournier-Barnaby heard cries for help, grabbed a heavy dumbbell and bolted upstairs. He saw the assailant standing over his mother, strangling her. He approached the assailant from behind and hit him over the head with the dumbbell, causing him to collapse onto the floor. Mr. Fournier-Barnaby then grabbed his mother and ran out of the house. The assailant was later apprehended by police.
Kai Hirvonen, M.B.
Squamish, British Columbia
On May 7, 2019, Kai Hirvonen rescued a toddler from drowning at Porteau Cove Provincial Park in British Columbia. The toddler was standing on the upper deck of a dock when she slipped through a railing and fell nine metres into the ocean. Mr. Hirvonen was loading his boat at a nearby launch and saw her fall into the water. He immediately dove into the ocean, swimming 50 metres through rough and frigid waters to reach the submerged child. He grabbed hold of her and swam back to shore as emergency services arrived on the scene.
RCMP Constable Cortney Hodges, M.B.
Blind Bay, British Columbia
On August 11, 2018, RCMP Constable Cortney Hodges, of the Ashcroft Royal Canadian Mounted Police, rescued multiple victims from extensive mudslides following heavy rains in Cache Creek, British Columbia. Constable Hodges walked through thick debris and high water to reach a family trapped on the second floor of their residence. Climbing on top of a parked vehicle, he helped the victims climb out of the window, before safely bringing them to a neighbouring residence. He then discovered 12 motorists trapped by swift water, trees and rocks flowing over the highway. With the assistance of a bystander, he used ropes and electrical cords to guide each victim over the landslide, even carrying a small child on his back in a carrier. All motorists were then evacuated from the area and transported to safer locations.
Christopher Ellis Lawless, M.B.
Inverness, Nova Scotia
On July 22, 2017, Chris Lawless helped a family at risk of drowning in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Inverness, Nova Scotia. Seeing a man and his daughter in distress in the water, he swam more than 50 metres and gave them a floating board to help them reach the shore. He then swam another 55 metres against the breaking waves to reach a woman who had been carried off by the strong current and was floating on her back in deep water. He wrapped his arms around the weakened victim and began swimming to shore. Assisted by a lifeguard and other bystanders, Mr. Lawless successfully brought the victim safely to shore.
Fire Chief A. Brent Marshall, M.B.
Acton, Ontario
Assistant Deputy Fire Chief Bruce Morrison, M.B.
Halton Hills, Ontario
Deputy Fire Chief Harry Olivieri, M.B.
Ancaster, Ontario
On November 20, 2015, Fire Chief Brent Marshall, Deputy Fire Chief Harry Olivieri, and Assistant Deputy Fire Chief Bruce Morrison, all off-duty members of the Halton Hills Fire Department, attempted to rescue a co-worker and his wife from their burning home in Eden Mills, Ontario. Without protective equipment or the support of their fellow firefighters, the three men forced their way into the home, desperately trying to reach the two individuals. Despite the intense heat and the heavy black smoke, the men repeatedly attempted to search the house before they were forced to turn back. Although suffering from smoke inhalation, they remained on the scene until fire trucks arrived to fight the flames. Sadly, neither of the victims survived.
The decoration awarded to A. Brent Marshall will be presented to him at a later date.
The decoration awarded to Harry Olivieri was presented to him previously.
Sean James Laurimer McGinnis, M.B.
Whitehorse, Yukon
On October 16, 2016, Sean McGinnis rescued a distressed woman from drowning in the Yukon River. As he was out walking with a friend, Mr. McGinnis heard a strange noise coming from the water and immediately recognized it as a person in distress. Following the sound, he ran along the riverbank, entering the water several times before he finally caught sight of the victim, who was now floating, on the surface. He plunged into the freezing water and swam out several metres to reach the victim. Fighting against the current, he towed the woman back to shore and waited for help to arrive.
Constable Marco Joseph Robert Pagliericci, M.B.
Lethbridge County, Alberta
On April 8, 2017, Constable Marco Joseph Robert Pagliericci, of the Lethbridge Police Service, rescued several residents from a fire in the Bridge Villa Estates Trailer Park, in Lethbridge, Alberta. Arriving on the scene, he found a home engulfed in flames, with the fire spreading to the neighbouring unit. He banged on the door and ordered an elderly woman to leave, then entered the home and found an elderly man with a disability lying on the couch. He led the man outside as flames and thick smoke engulfed the unit. The constable then turned his attention to evacuating other tenants from the neighbouring homes and keeping the site secure until firefighters arrived.
Stephen Ross, M.B.
Keiren Tompkins, M.B.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
On January 14, 2014, Stephen Ross and Keiren Tompkins rescued a victim who had fallen through ice into a waterfall at Uisge Bàn Falls Provincial Park in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. A young man was walking along the park trail when he stepped off the path and slid down through an unmarked area directly above a waterfall. The victim crashed through the ice into a crevice filled with rushing water over a metre deep. Walking up the opposite trail, Mr. Ross and Mr. Tompkins saw the man disappear and raced over to help. With Mr. Ross hanging on to his legs, Mr. Tompkins stretched out flat on the thin ice, searching the crevice for the victim. Spotting him, Mr. Tompkins used a ski pole to pull the man out of the water. He grabbed hold of the victim’s hands and, with the help of Mr. Ross and some bystanders, pulled the man to safety.
Peter Slipp, M.B.
Fredericton, New Brunswick
On July 28, 2019, Peter Slipp rescued a man from a burning building in Brackley, Prince Edward Island. Mr. Slipp and his family had just arrived at Brackley Beach Northwinds Inn when they saw the front staircase was enveloped in flames. He leaped from his vehicle and ran along the two floors of the inn, banging on doors to alert the occupants. He located a husband and wife on the second floor and directed them to an emergency exit. As black smoke and fire encircled the stairwell, Mr. Slipp helped guide the husband down. Suddenly, the man collapsed near the foot of the stairs. With the help of the man’s wife, Mr. Slipp was able to move him to a safer location.
Jonathan Stein-Palmiere, M.B. (posthumous)
Calgary, Alberta
On May 31, 2019, Jonathan Stein-Palmiere saved two girls from drowning in Lake Windermere in British Columbia. Seeing that the two children were having difficulty reaching the shore and were calling for help, Mr. Stein-Palmiere ran to the water to help them. He swam approximately 12 metres in deep water to help one of them reach the shore safely. He then pushed the other girl toward the shore before losing consciousness and disappearing beneath the water. Two witnesses tried to save him but were unsuccessful. Mr. Stein-Palmiere was taken to the hospital but tragically did not survive.
The decoration awarded to the late Jonathan Stein-Palmiere will be presented to his mother, Toni Palmiere.
Dr. Emilie Stevens, M.B.
Vancouver, British Columbia
On June 23, 2017, Dr. Emilie Stevens saved a woman from jumping off the Granville Street Bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia. While crossing the bridge on her way home, Dr. Stevens spotted a visibly distressed woman sitting with her back to the railing, looking over the side. Dr. Stevens approached the woman and tried to engage her in conversation. Realizing the severity of the situation, Dr. Stevens called 911 as the victim climbed over the railing. Though seven months pregnant at the time, Dr. Stevens grabbed the victim and held on to her with all her strength to prevent her from falling. With the help of two constables, she brought the victim back over the railing to the walkway.
Mark Oscar Tuura, M.B.
New Westminster, British Columbia
On October 18, 2015, Mark Tuura rescued a man from drowning in the Fraser River in New Westminster, British Columbia. Mr. Tuura was by the docks at Pier Park when he spotted the man floating in the water, approximately 15 metres from shore. He grabbed a rope from his vehicle and then climbed down a boom chain onto slippery and jagged logs on the shore. Diving into the murky and fast-moving water, he swam out to the unconscious man. Cradling him by the neck and chest, he towed the man back to the log boom, where he secured him safely between two logs. Fastening his rope around the victim’s legs, Mr. Tuura then helped firefighters hoist the man out of the water to safety.
Bradley Schroeder, M.B.
Lanigan, Saskatchewan
Dwayne Voth, M.B.
Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan
On June 10, 2018, Bradley Schroeder and Dwayne Voth intervened in a bear attack in Meadow Lake Provincial Park, Saskatchewan. Mr. Schroeder’s wife was awakened by the sound of a black bear outside her cabin and went to investigate. As the bear charged towards the woman, Mr. Schroeder ran from the cabin, and started punching and kicking the animal. From his own cabin, Mr. Voth heard screaming and looked out to see the bear clawing the woman’s legs. He ran outside and struck at the animal, before pulling the Schroeders back inside his cabin. Conservation officers and emergency services arrived soon after to remove the bear.
The decoration awarded to Bradley Schroeder was presented to him previously.