Citadelle of Québec - Day 2

In the morning, the Governor General presented 31 Medals of Bravery to recognize people who risked their lives to try to save or protect the lives of others.

Their Excellencies developed their own snack bar recipe.

The presentation was followed by a visit to the Laboratory of Health and Wellness, where recipes are developed.

Group photo of Their Excellencies with staff from the Leclerc Group. Founded in 1905, by François Leclerc, Leclerc Group has grown over the past 30 years to more than 825 employees, sales in excess of $375 million, and six ultramodern factories, including two in Québec, one in Hawkesbury, Ontario, one in Montgomery, Pennsylvania, one in Kingsport, Tennessee, and one in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is headquartered in the François-Leclerc Industrial Park in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, near the City of Québec. Specializing in the production of cookies and snack bars, the company exports its products to more than 20 countries.

An overview of the company and its activities in national and international markets was provided.

In the afternoon, Their Excellencies visited the head office of Leclerc Group. They were met by Mr. Denis Leclerc, President of Leclerc Group, and his spouse, Mrs. Lucie Gosselin.

The recipients were warmly applauded by those who attended the ceremony.

On May 18, 2013, constables Nicholas-Yan Charbonneau, Yannick Horion and Sophie Pilon (pictured), of the Régie intermunicipale de police Thérèse-De Blainville, rescued five people from a smoke-filled apartment in Sainte-Thérèse-de-Blainville, Quebec. The victims had tried to escape but had fallen unconscious before they could reach the door. Struggling to breathe in the toxic smoke, the officers entered the house several times to locate the victims and bring them safely outside, one by one. The Medals of Bravery awarded to constables Charbonneau and Horion were presented to them at a previous ceremony.

On July 27, 2012, Michelle Gendron and her spouse Christian Vaillancourt rescued their four children from a burning cottage in Saint-Clément, Quebec. The two adults had been sitting outside after the children had gone to bed. Suddenly, they noticed flames quickly spreading to the roof of the cottage. Ms. Gendron and Mr. Vaillancourt ran to the back bedroom where their children slept and, despite the intensifying heat, smoke and flames, succeeded in bringing all four children safely outside.

On September 4, 2013, Constable Mike Fox, of the Fredericton Police Service, rescued a suicidal man who had climbed over the guardrail of a walking bridge in Fredericton, New Brunswick. While several bystanders were attempting to talk the man back over the rail, Constable Fox quietly moved in beside him without being seen. He then jumped forward to restrain the man by pinning him against the railing and wrapping his arms around him until other officers arrived to help.

On June 22, 2014, Mina Eglaycus rescued the driver of a burning vehicle following a collision on Highway 427 near Toronto, Ontario. After witnessing the accident, Mr. Eglaycus ran to the car and attempted to unbuckle the victim’s seatbelt. The heavy smoke forced him to retreat, but on his third attempt, he pulled the victim to safety moments before the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames.

On January 12, 2010, a major earthquake struck Haiti, causing unprecedented devastation that left more than 160 000 people dead or injured. A group of officers from the RCMP and from the Ottawa and Montréal police services who were on assignment in the country did not hesitate to help with the rescue effort. They entered the damaged buildings to look for survivors amid the piles of debris. Despite the risks posed by the imminent collapse of the unstable structures, the officers persevered in their painstaking search and successfully extracted several victims

On January 25, 2014, six miners risked their lives to rescue a colleague following a workplace accident in Desmaraisville, Quebec. The man was trapped beneath a large rock 30 metres below ground. For more than 20 minutes, the rescuers frantically worked to free the victim, disregarding the threat of other landslides occurring in the area. With the only light coming from their hard hats, they struggled to lift the boulder off the victim and bring him to safety. The Medal of Bravery awarded to the sixth miner will be presented to him at a future ceremony.

"Each of you was faced with an emergency situation very suddenly, without warning," said the Governor General. "One moment, you were going about your business. The next, you were called to act. You answered that call. It’s extraordinary, to learn of your selflessness and courage under pressure. It’s inspiring."

Their Excellencies concluded their visit with a tour of the cookie and snack bar factory.