Ontario Government Introduces Motion to See Canada Award Victoria Cross
Ontario Government Introduces Motion to See Canada Award Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest award in the Canadian honours system, awarded for extraordinary valour, self-sacrifice, and extreme devotion to duty.
Today, the Ontario Government introduced a motion calling on the Government of Canada to establish an independent military honours review board to review veterans’ cases where evidence suggests the Victoria Cross criteria were met. Tomorrow morning, Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing, will deliver remarks in the Legislature on the motion.
The Victoria Cross is the Commonwealth’s highest medal for valour. It was created in 1856 by Queen Victoria to recognize soldiers during the Crimean War, with 99 Canadians being awarded the medal since its creation. In 1993, Canada created its own Victoria Cross medal, which has never been awarded.
The Victoria Cross has not been awarded in Canada since the end of the Second World War in 1945, despite there being many worthy potential recipients. That includes Jess Larochelle, who despite being gravely wounded in Afghanistan, mounted a brave defence to help save his wounded comrades from the Taliban’s fire.
“Ontario will always honour the brave men and women who selflessly served our country,” said MPP Vic Fedeli. “To ensure that extraordinary acts of bravery and self-sacrifice, like those of Jess Larochelle, are appropriately rewarded, we are calling on the federal government to establish an independent military honours review board.”
Community members in Nipissing have been unwavering in their advocacy to get Jess Larochelle a Victoria Cross for his heroic and selfless acts in Afghanistan. Groups like Valour in the Presence of the Enemy have been fighting for this for more than six years, sparking national awareness of the heroic actions soldiers like Jess have taken.
The Ontario Government is proud to stand with them in calling on the federal government to establish a military honours review board that will review and determine if several past cases meet the criteria for the Canadian Victoria Cross.
