Vol. 132, No. 31 — August 1, 1998

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

(Erratum)

CANADIAN BRAVERY DECORATIONS

The notice published on page 1054 of the May 9, 1998, issue of the Canada Gazette, Part I, is hereby amended as follows:

Medal of Bravery

SERGE FRÉCHETTE, M.B.
JEAN PEDNEAULT, M.B.

On March 14, 1996, Serge Fréchette and Jean Pedneault rescued three men whose all-terrain vehicle plunged into the St. Lawrence River, near Boucherville Islands, Quebec. Messrs. Fréchette and Pedneault were fishing nearby when they saw the vehicle go through the ice. They immediately rushed to the scene where the victims were trying desperately to climb back onto the thin layer of ice, which broke each time they tried. While a friend went to get a cable, Mr. Fréchette crawled onto the fragile surface, grabbed one of the victims by the hand and held him until the cable arrived, ten minutes later. Mr. Pedneault then took hold of the rope and dragged himself until he could wrap it around one of the victims’ wrists and grab the other by his clothes. Using all of his strength, he managed to get them out of the hole. Mr. Pedneault then went back to help the third man on the other side of the hole, who was still being held by Mr. Fréchette, by now exhausted. The victim let go to grab the cable and when Mr. Pedneault approached, the ice broke. He then leaped into the water to catch the struggling man and, grasping the cable, they were both rescued.

LGEN (Ret’d) JAMES C. GERVAIS, C.M.M., C.D.
Deputy Secretary

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CANADIAN BRAVERY DECORATIONS

The Governor General, the Right Honourable ROMÉO LEBLANC, on the recommendation of the Canadian Decorations Advisory Committee, has awarded bravery decorations as follows:

Star of Courage

SERGEANT KEVIN DALE ELLIOTT, S.C., C.D.
MASTER CORPORAL DARCY ST-LAURENT, S.C., C.D.

On November 13, 1996, Search and Rescue Technicians Elliott and St-Laurent parachuted in hazardous weather to rescue four survivors whose helicopter had crashed in the Torngat Mountains of Northern Labrador. The technicians had already effected two unsuccessful searches with flare illumination and were returning to their base because of dwindling fuel, when distress flares were reported from the base of a fiord. With weather conditions worsening, they decided to jump, aware that preparations had to be done in half the normal time, due to low fuel. A landing plateau was identified amidst the 50-metre rock peaks, five kilometres from the crash site. As they jumped, both men were tossed around by turbulence and separated from each other by high winds that carried them away from the plateau, in a blinding snow squall. After a difficult landing, they managed to reunite and locate their equipment. Sgt. Elliott and then Cpl. St-Laurent dragged their heavy toboggan during a two-hour night descent of the cliffs, forced from time to time to take shelter. One kilometre from the crash site, they detected a faint light and radioed the information to another rescue team who made its way through the inclement weather and succeeded in airlifting the victims to safety. As there was limited space on board the helicopter, Sgt. Elliott and MCpl. St-Laurent stayed behind, constructed a snow cave shelter and waited for recovery.

Star of Courage

FRANK SAMUEL HEDINGHAM, S.C. (deceased)
RAYMOND CHARLES KITCHEN, S.C. (posthumous)
KELLY MCCONNELL, S.C.

On August 14, 1997, at Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park, British Columbia, a bear attacked a group of Canadian and American tourists, killing two people and severely wounding two others. When an unprovoked bear attacked his mother, 13-yearold Kelly McConnell confronted the animal, kicking it in the jaw then repeatedly hitting it with a stick. The angry bear released the woman and turned on Kelly, clawing and biting him. Alerted by the screams, Mr. Kitchen and others rushed to the scene and attempted to scare the bear by making loud noises. When neither the noise nor stabbing at the animal with sticks diverted its attention, Mr. Kitchen jumped on its back and tried to wrestle it off Kelly, but the bear turned on him and inflicted fatal injuries. Meanwhile, Mr. Hedingham had also rushed to the scene and began pounding on the animal’s head with a tree branch, causing it to retreat. While Mr. Hedingham and others attempted to stop the bleeding from Kelly’s wounds, the beast returned and tried again to grab the boy and his mother, by then deceased. Mr. Hedingham gave the animal a strong kick on its snout, finally driving it away. As the bear fled, it attacked one more victim before it was killed by a man who had arrived with a shotgun.

Medal of Bravery

EDWARD JOSEPH ANTHONY, M.B.
THOMAS SYLVESTER MCCARTHY, M.B.
PATRICK JOSEPH PHILLIPS, M.B.

On February 1, 1997, Edward Anthony, Thomas McCarthy and Patrick Phillips pulled a man from a burning house in Colliers, Newfoundland. Mr. Phillips was driving by when he noticed flames coming from the house. He immediately summoned help from Mr. McCarthy — the victim’s neighbour and brother — and both men raced to the back of the house and kicked the door open. A wall of thick, black smoke blocked their path so they ran around to the front and smashed the door window with a shovel. Meanwhile, Mr. Anthony had also been alerted to the fire and had attempted to crawl inside the rear entrance, but he too had been forced to retreat. The three men tried several times to crawl inside but were driven back each time by the intense heat and choking smoke. Undeterred, Mr. McCarthy then ran home to get wet towels while Messrs. Anthony and Phillips shovelled snow into the house to extinguish the flames. With debris falling from the ceiling, Mr. Phillips secured the front door with his body and Messrs. McCarthy and Anthony crawled inside to search for the victim. Mr. McCarthy located his badly burned brother on the dining room floor and called to Mr. Anthony who helped drag him outside. Sadly, the victim did not survive.

Medal of Bravery

INGRID SUZANNE BAILEY, M.B.
TONY DAUK, M.B.
GARY RICHMOND, M.B.
MAJOR HARVEY SMERYCHYNSKI, M.B., C.D.
BRADLEY DAVID WESTERVELT, M.B.

On August 14, 1997, Ingrid Bailey, Tony Dauk, Gary Richmond, Harvey Smerychynski and Bradley Westervelt joined others in attempting to save Canadian and American tourists who were being mauled by a bear at Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park, British Columbia. Alerted by the screams, Ms. Bailey, Messrs. Dauk, Richmond and Westervelt and Maj Smerychynski raced to the scene where a bear had killed a woman and severely injured her son, and was savagely mauling a man who had tried to help. Ms. Bailey immediately began tending to the wounded while the men approached the enraged animal and attempted to scare it off by yelling and stabbing at it with sticks. The beast temporarily released its prey and lunged at Mr. Dauk, then returned to the victim and continued clawing and biting him, inflicting fatal injuries. Undeterred, the rescuers continued pounding on the animal, causing it to retreat. While Messrs. Dauk and Westervelt searched for a gun, Mr. Richmond, Maj Smerychynski and another man joined Ms. Baily in providing medical help to the boy. As they did so, the bear returned and tried to grab the bleeding child and his deceased mother but was driven away by a strong kick on the snout. The animal was attacking yet another victim when it was killed by a man who had arrived with a shotgun.

Medal of Bravery

PRIVATE BRYAN PHILLIP WILLIAM BALKAM, M.B.

On June 25, 1997, 13-year-old Bryan Balkam rescued a friend from drowning in Salt Lake, Oxford, Nova Scotia. While swimming across the lake, Bryan’s 12-year-old friend developed severe cramps and called for help as he struggled to keep afloat. The boy’s mother attempted to rescue him but he pulled her underwater. In complete exhaustion and unable to help her son, she called Bryan for help. Although tired from swimming, Bryan did not hesitate to dive back in. As he headed towards the victim, he became entangled in eel-grass but managed to free himself. He reached his friend and grabbed him by the shoulders, but the panicked victim pulled him under. Once he resurfaced, Bryan turned on his back and began swimming with the bigger and heavier boy in tow. As they neared the shore, he tried to stand but could barely touch the bottom of the lake. He finally made his way towards the boy’s mother who helped them out of the lake.

Medal of Bravery

MARKHAM KERRY BAUSMAN, M.B.
RICK WAYNE MACINNIS, M.B.
DUSTIN SCOTT BLAINE MACPHEE, M.B.

On April 19, 1997, near Fox Creek, Alberta, Markham Bausman, Rick MacInnis and 13-year-old Dustin MacPhee helped passengers to escape a bus that had caught fire after being hit by a pick-up truck carrying diesel fuel. Soaked in fuel, the driver and 28 passengers were trapped inside the burning bus. As people trampled each other, Messrs. Bausman and MacInnis kicked open windows and helped others to get out. Both men then turned their attention to people on fire or trapped inside. With the fire raging out of control, Mr. MacInnis guided two panicked women out of the bus, then noticed another victim whose legs were pinned between seats. Realizing that the only way to escape the inferno was to break her foot, the woman allowed Mr. MacInnis to do so as he pulled her free. Mr. MacInnis then suffered severe burns while trying in vain to save another woman lying on the road, in flames in a pool of fuel. Meanwhile, Mr. Bausman tended to passengers on fire and was attempting to extinguish with snow the burning body of a woman when he noticed that Dustin MacPhee was at risk. Dustin, his shoe on fire, was desperately trying to free the crushed legs of the bus driver. Mr. Bausman grabbed the boy and pulled him away. Tragically, when he returned for the driver, the man was covered in flames and could not be saved.

Medal of Bravery

O.P.P. CONSTABLE JOEL G. BLACKLOCK, M.B.
O.P.P. SERGEANT GARY NELSON COLLINS,
M.B., C.D.

On April 2, 1997, Officers Joel Blacklock and Gary Collins rescued a man, stranded on an ice floe in Collins Creek, in Kingston Township, Ontario. Responding to a call for help, Cst. Blacklock and Sgt. Collins walked two kilometres through dense bush to reach the scene. They spotted a man, lying on the ice 200 metres from shore. The officers tried to reach him but the ice gave way. On their second attempt, they managed to walk half way to him thrashing through icy waters before having to turn back as their legs became numb. Seeing that the man had also fallen through and was struggling against the current, they started towards him a third time, shouting encouragement. The victim managed to climb back onto the ice and to crawl towards them. With failing strength, the officers ventured out 100 metres, breaking the ice with their bodies. As they grabbed hold of the victim who was again in the water, the panicked man jumped on to Sgt. Collins and pushed him under. The officers took control and, shaking violently from 20 minutes in the numbing water, towed the now semi-conscious victim back towards shore where they were met by emergency crews.

Medal of Bravery

DAVID EDWARD CROCKER, M.B.

On January 20, 1997, David Crocker rescued neighbours from their burning third-floor apartment in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. When smoke began filling his own apartment, Mr. Crocker quickly called the fire department, then fled into the hallway where he heard his neighbours’ cries. Banging on the door, he urged them to get out and when the door opened, a teenage girl emerged from a wall of choking black smoke, carrying a three-year-old boy. As Mr. Crocker led them to safety, the girl told him that her mother was still inside. With visibility hampered by the dense, toxic smoke, Mr. Crocker crawled into the apartment, calling to the woman. Following the sound of her moans, he located her on the floor. He managed to drag the severely burned victim to a stairwell where others provided assistance. By then, conditions had worsened and Mr. Crocker sought refuge on the balcony of his own apartment, from which he was rescued by fire-fighters.

Medal of Bravery

WAYNE GRAHAM DENNIS, M.B.
WILLIAM JAMES PAROSCHY, M.B.

While vacationing in St. Kitts on March 8, 1997, Wayne Dennis and William Paroschy saved three American citizens from drowning. Seeing that two young boys were being carried towards the open sea by a strong undertow, Mr. Dennis swam 15 metres out to them, battling two-metre waves. As he grabbed hold of the panicked children, they pushed him underwater. Mr. Dennis managed to calm them and began swimming with both boys on his back. While struggling towards shore, he was met by the boys’ grandfather who was also trying to save them, and pushed the smaller child to him. He then threw the older boy into a wave to be taken in by the current but the attempt failed and he picked him up again. As they progressed towards shore, the grandfather grew weak and passed the younger child back to Mr. Dennis. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mr. Paroschy ignored the dangers and started swimming to Mr. Dennis’ aid. Mr. Paroschy took the smaller child from Mr. Dennis, brought him back to shore, then returned for the other boy. Once the children were safe on the beach, Mr. Paroschy re-joined Mr. Dennis and together, they rescued the grandfather who was totally exhausted.

Medal of Bravery

CONSTABLE ÉRIC DUBREUIL, M.B.

On January 4, 1997, Cst. Éric Dubreuil prevented a suicidal man from jumping off the snow- and ice-covered roof of a shopping centre in Sudbury, Ontario. Dispatched to the scene, Cst. Dubreuil realized that the young man standing on the icy top of a parking garage elevator shaft was dangerously close to the edge. He immediately climbed up a ladder and kneeled down on the narrow surface in order not to agitate him further. In extremely cold north winds, Cst. Dubreuil continued talking for 40 minutes with the man who repeatedly threatened to jump onto the street, 10 metres below. When the cold and shivering victim backed one step away from the metal ledge and turned his back to Cst. Dubreuil to shield his face from the bitter wind, the officer seized the opportunity to grab him. The man resisted and struggled, but Cst. Dubreuil was able to restrain him with the aid of two fellow officers.

Medal of Bravery

BRIAN ROY MCWILLIAMS, M.B.

On November 16, 1996, in Paradise Island, Bahamas, Brian McWilliams, then 17 years old, dived into the ocean to save an American woman who had been dragged out to sea by a strong current and undertow. The vacationing high school student was walking along the beach when he heard the woman’s cries and realized she was in trouble. Without hesitating, Mr. McWilliams ran into the ocean and swam some 15 metres in rough water before he could reach her side. He then grabbed the drowning victim but was forced to let her go when a large wave came crashing down on them and the panicked woman pulled him under. Exhausted but undeterred, the teenager caught hold of her again and started swimming towards shore with the victim in tow. As he neared the beach, Mr. McWilliams was assisted by his parents in reviving the semi-conscious victim and treating her for shock.

Medal of Bravery

EDWARD JAN RIJSTENBIL, M.B.

On June 16, 1997, Edward Rijstenbil rescued his father from an angry bull on their family farm, in Russell, Ontario. The men were moving their herd of cattle from one pasture to another, when a 568-kg bull turned on the older man, goring him in the thigh and the abdomen. The force of the attack threw him some five metres in the air rendering him unconscious. While the injured man lay beside an electric fence, the beast charged again but became tangled in the wire. Kneeling on the victim’s chest, and with the 120-volt live wire hitting its hind legs, the bull relentlessly continued its attack, moving its powerful head, neck and shoulders in a side-to-side motion. Without regard for his own safety, Mr. Rijstenbil pulled a fencing rod from the ground and attacked the enraged animal. Facing the bull, he smashed the rod onto its head with a powerful blow that forced the animal to retreat.

Medal of Bravery

MIKAEL NELS SIBAKOW, M.B.

Around midnight on August 15, 1995, Mikael Sibakow, then 17 years old, pulled a friend from a van that had slipped off a dock and landed upside down at the bottom of the Saskatchewan River in The Pas, Manitoba. Mr. Sibakow and four of the seventeenagers in the submerged van had managed to free themselves and find their way back to the dock. When Mr. Sibakow discovered that two people were missing, he immediately dove back into the murky waters. Disoriented, and in total darkness, he felt his way around the vehicle until he found the window he had broken to escape. Despite the risk of getting trapped, he squeezed inside and groped around until he touched the hand of one victim, stuck under a seat. He grabbed the drowning girl and managed to pull her to the surface through the narrow opening. Mr. Sibakow made two more attempts to locate his other friend but, despite his most valiant efforts, the boy could not be saved.

LGEN (Ret’d) JAMES C. GERVAIS, C.M.M., C.D.
Deputy Secretary

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