Vol. 134, No. 44 — October 28, 2000

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

CANADIAN BRAVERY DECORATIONS

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

Star of Courage

DEAN PLUMMER, S.C.(Posthumous)
Nobleton, Ontario

On February 6, 1999, 34-year-old Dean Plummer lost his life while trying to rescue a friend from drowning near his family's cottage at Sauble Beach, Bruce County, Ontario. Mr. Plummer had been walking with two friends and their small boy along the shore of Lake Huron. When the child was taken inside the cottage by his father to warm up, Mr. Plummer and the woman continued taking photographs on the ice ridges. A large wave washed over the slippery shore and dragged the woman under the slush-covered surface. Although fully aware, as an experienced scuba diver, of the extremely rapid effects of hypothermia, Mr. Plummer quickly removed his heavy boots and mitts and, with complete disregard for his own safety, jumped into the rough waters. Despite his most valiant efforts, Mr. Plummer was unable to locate his friend. Undeterred, he continued his search until he was overcome by exhaustion and hypothermia, and he too disappeared under the ice floes. Both bodies were recovered later.

Medal of Bravery

LARRY SINCLAIR CLAYTON, M.B.
Springhill, Nova Scotia

On July 10, 1998, Correctional Officer Larry Clayton placed his life in danger to help a critically injured fellow officer who was being chased by a knife-wielding inmate at the Springhill Institution, in Nova Scotia. Witness to the stabbing of his colleague, Mr. Clayton did not hesitate to place himself between the violent offender and the victim, who was able to escape. Determined to defuse an extremely volatile situation and undaunted by the knife, Mr. Clayton tackled the man in an attempt to subdue him. In the violent confrontation that followed, Mr. Clayton knocked the offender to the ground and managed to restrain him with the help of other officers.

Medal of Bravery

MATHEW DALEY, M.B.
London, Ontario

Shortly after midnight on January 25, 1997, 19-year-old Mathew Daley rescued a suicidal woman from drowning in Lake Ontario, at Spencer Smith Park, in Burlington, Ontario. Mr. Daley and a friend were walking along the lake when they observed a distraught young woman exit a taxi and jump into the rough, freezing lake. Mr. Daley instructed his friend to go for help as he quickly removed part of his clothing, then scaled down a rocky embankment and swam to the victim, some 20 metres out. Determined to end her life, the woman fought to break free of his grip. Despite weakening strength from the numbing water and the struggle, Mr. Daley managed to pull the victim back to shore where others helped complete the rescue.

Medal of Bravery

MANDEEP SINGH DHILLON, M.B.(Posthumous)
Brampton, Ontario

On the afternoon of July 17, 1998, 21-year-old Mandeep Singh Dhillon lost his life while going to the rescue of a man trapped in the sleeper cabin of a tractor-trailer that had been struck by another near Vega, Texas, in Oldham Co., U.S.A. A Canadian trucker on a run through Texas, Mr. Dhillon was at a nearby restaurant when he heard the crash. He immediately ran to the scene to help the trapped victim and as he did so, another transport truck slammed into the wreckage and triggered an explosion. Mr. Dhillon was caught in the raging inferno and suffered severe burns. Sadly, he died of his injuries later that day.

Medal of Bravery

CAPTAIN BRIAN STEPHEN DOUCETTE, M.B., C.D.
Cold Lake, Alberta

On November 24, 1999, Brian Doucette saved a man from a fiery death near Vilna, Alberta. Capt Doucette had just arrived at the scene of a multi-vehicle accident in dense fog when he heard a crash. He rushed to the scene and found a burning car wedged under the back of a five-ton truck with the seriously injured driver crushed between the steering wheel and the seat. When his attempt to extinguish the flames failed, Capt Doucette entered the vehicle through a back door and scrambled over various obstacles to reach the victim. Despite the intensifying heat and flames, he managed to free the driver, lift him over the front seat and pull him out of the wreck moments before the entire vehicle erupted into flames.

Medal of Bravery

KARL DAVID HOEFEL, M.B.
Toronto, Ontario

On August 28, 1999, Karl Hoefel saved two women from drowning at North Beach Provincial Park, in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Mr. Hoefel was at the park with his family when he heard cries for help from three swimmers who had been swept to the deeper waters of Lake Ontario by a strong undertow. Although they could not see the swimmers, Mr. Hoefel and his wife entered the high surf on an air mattress and, guided by the voices of the victims, made their way to the closest one and helped her back to shore. Mr. Hoefel then re-entered the dangerous waters and battled three-metre waves until he reached another woman, some 1 500 metres out. Both exhausted, he and the woman struggled to hang onto the rapidly deflating mattress. As they drifted closer to shore, they were rescued by a man who had organized a human chain and reached them with a rope. The third victim was also rescued.

Medal of Bravery

DANUTA KALUZA, M.B.
Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia

FRANCIS PHILPOTT JR., M.B.
Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia

On September 16, 1999, Danuta Kaluza and Francis Philpott saved five young girls from a black bear near Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. Mrs. Kaluza and the children she was babysitting, aged three to seven, were picking blueberries when a bear charged in their direction. As Mrs. Kaluza rushed the children toward their truck, the youngest girl fell and the animal pounced on her. Mrs. Kaluza immediately confronted it, causing it to release the child, but it did not back off. When Mr. Philpott arrived, alerted by the screams, he and Mrs. Kaluza waved their arms and made enough noise to drive the animal a short distance away. With the bear dangerously near, they managed to bring all the children to the safety of the truck.

Medal of Bravery

RAYMOND DOUGLAS LAWSON, M.B.
Angus, Ontario

On June 9, 1997, Ray Lawson rescued an eight-year-old boy from drowning in Angus, Ontario. The boy was swimming with friends when he was caught in the strong current of the swollen Nattawasaga River and carried to deeper waters, clinging onto a tree branch. Alerted by the older boys that their rescue efforts had failed, Mr. Lawson rushed to the scene, dove into the fast-flowing river and swam toward the young victim. Twice, he managed to reach his side but the rushing waters pulled him past the panicked boy who repeatedly disappeared under the surface. On his third attempt, Mr. Lawson managed to catch the child and lift him to the surface. Exhausted and struggling to stay afloat, he then held onto him and continued to battle the swift waters until help arrived and both were pulled to safety.

Medal of Bravery

RCMP CONSTABLE GERALD WILLIAM MARSHINEW, M.B.
100 Mile House, British Columbia

In the early hours of February 8, 1998, Gerald Marshinew apprehended an armed and dangerous man at 100 Mile House, British Columbia. After being evicted from a popular nightclub, the intoxicated man engaged in a violent argument with another man, then fired his gun erratically as he staggered down the street. Cst. Marshinew witnessed the scene from his unmarked patrol car. Wanting to avert a tragedy, he drove alongside the agitated man and coaxed him into accepting a ride. Undaunted by the verbal abuse and the gun pointing directly at him, he attempted to calm the man. Meanwhile, he lowered his left arm outside the car door and signalled to two other plain-clothes officers. As the gunman was temporarily distracted by the approaching officers, Cst. Marshinew grabbed hold of the weapon, allowing his colleagues to make an arrest.

Medal of Bravery

SERGEANT EARL MCCUTCHEON, M.B. C.D.
Edmonton, Alberta

CORPORAL ROSS A. WEAVER, M.B.
Edmonton, Alberta

On September 2, 1999, Earl McCutcheon and Ross Weaver entered an undefined minefield to rescue an elderly civilian who had stepped on an anti-personnel mine south of the Drenica Valley, in the Province of Kosovo. Realizing that medical support could not reach the site in time to save the man who had sustained life-threatening injuries, Cpl Weaver and Sgt McCutcheon cautiously made their way through the dangerous minefield. Aware that a false move could detonate another mine, Cpl Weaver began to administer first aid while Sgt McCutcheon coordinated the extraction of the victim. With support from other members of the reconnaissance platoon, they were later able to evacuate the victim to a nearby medical facility for intensive care that saved his life.

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

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