Canadian Heroes

As someone who has always held the highest respect for those who have fought for freedom, I thought I would use this blog as a way of remembering Canadians, who in my opinion are heroes. I will write about Canadians who have fought wearing the uniform of the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadians who have fought wearing the uniform of other countries. This blog does not make light of what Canadians in uniform have done, for they are all heroes, but will highlight those who have made a difference with their extraordinary deeds of bravery.

I thought that I would start with those Canadians who have won the Victoria Cross for Bravery.
This post will give the history of the Victoria Cross in Canada. The Victoria Cross was instituted in 1856 by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is the highest military decoration for gallantry in the British Commonwealth. There have been 94 Canadian recipients (living and posthumous) since it's inception.

The decoration is in the form of a bronze cross patee bearing the royal crest and the words "For Valour." The ribbon is dark crimson.

In 1972, Pierre Elliot Trudeau's Liberal Government decided that Canadian Armed Forces personnel should receive Canadian Decorations not British Awards and they dropped the Victoria Cross. This incensed many Veterans and active members of the Canadian Armed Forces. They thought that this action diminished the memories of the many acts of gallantry that recipients of the award had done.
In 1987, Brian Mulroneys Conservative Government asked the Chancellery of Canadian Orders and Decorations to consider its' reinstatement. On February 2, 1993 Queen Elizabeth II approved the creation of a Canadian Victoria Cross Medal. The medal resembles the original except the English inscription "For Valour" has been replaced by the Latin "Pro Valore."

No Canadian Victoria Cross has ever been awarded.