Medal of Bravery
Encyclopedia
The Medal of Bravery is a decoration
that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the third highest award for bravery, and one of the three Canadian Bravery Decorations
gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy
-in-Council
. Created in 1972, the medal is presented to both living and deceased individuals deemed to have performed "acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances," and grants recipients the ability to use the post-nominal letters
MB.
medal with, on the obverse, the Royal Cypher
of the reigning monarch beneath a St. Edward's Crown
, symbolizing the Canadian monarch's role as the fount of honour
, and the inscription BRAVERY • BRAVOURE. The reverse bears a maple leaf surrounded by a laurel wreath
, and the name and rank of the recipient is engraved on the medal's edge.
This medallion is worn on the left chest, on a 31.8mm wide ribbon coloured red with three vertical blue stripes: for men, hung from a bar, and for women, on a ribbon bow, both pinned to the left chest. Should an individual already possessing a Medal of Bravery be awarded the medal again for subsequent acts of bravery, he or she is granted a medal bar
, in silver and bearing a maple leaf, for wear on the ribbon from which the original medal is suspended.
under Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
, created the Medal of Bravery to recognize acts of great gallantry. The name of any person, living or deceased, may be submitted to the Canadian Decorations Advisory Council a part of the Chancellery of Honours at Government House
as a possible recipient of the Medal of Bravery. It is not necessary that the act of bravery take place in Canada
, nor must the person who carried out the act be a Canadian; however, the event must have involved Canadians and/or Canadian interests. Nominations can be made no later than two years following either the act of bravery itself or the conclusion of any coroner's or court's inquest into the events for which the person was nominated. As of August 2009, the Medal of Bravery has been presented to 2,478 people, though no bars have yet been issued.
in 2006 released a general circulation commemorative quarter
showing on the reverse a variation of the design of the Medal of Bravery.
State decoration
State decorations are orders, medals and other decorations granted by a state. International decorations are similar, but are not granted by a specific nation but rather an international organization....
that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the third highest award for bravery, and one of the three Canadian Bravery Decorations
Canadian Bravery Decorations
The Canadian Bravery Decorations are a group of Canadian medals awarded for bravery. They are part of the Canadian Honour System created in 1967. The awards themselves were established in 1972...
gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
. Created in 1972, the medal is presented to both living and deceased individuals deemed to have performed "acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances," and grants recipients the ability to use the post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
MB.
Design
The Medal of Bravery is in the form of a 31.8 millimetres (1.3 in) diameter silverSterling silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925....
medal with, on the obverse, the Royal Cypher
Royal Cypher
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...
of the reigning monarch beneath a St. Edward's Crown
St. Edward's Crown
St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels, being the official coronation crown used in the coronation of first English, then British, and finally Commonwealth realms monarchs...
, symbolizing the Canadian monarch's role as the fount of honour
Fount of honour
The fount of honour refers to a nation's head of state, who, by virtue of his or her official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry to other persons.- Origin :...
, and the inscription BRAVERY • BRAVOURE. The reverse bears a maple leaf surrounded by a laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
, and the name and rank of the recipient is engraved on the medal's edge.
This medallion is worn on the left chest, on a 31.8mm wide ribbon coloured red with three vertical blue stripes: for men, hung from a bar, and for women, on a ribbon bow, both pinned to the left chest. Should an individual already possessing a Medal of Bravery be awarded the medal again for subsequent acts of bravery, he or she is granted a medal bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, in silver and bearing a maple leaf, for wear on the ribbon from which the original medal is suspended.
Eligibility and presentation
On 1 May 1972, Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of her CabinetCabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
under Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
, created the Medal of Bravery to recognize acts of great gallantry. The name of any person, living or deceased, may be submitted to the Canadian Decorations Advisory Council a part of the Chancellery of Honours at Government House
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
as a possible recipient of the Medal of Bravery. It is not necessary that the act of bravery take place in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, nor must the person who carried out the act be a Canadian; however, the event must have involved Canadians and/or Canadian interests. Nominations can be made no later than two years following either the act of bravery itself or the conclusion of any coroner's or court's inquest into the events for which the person was nominated. As of August 2009, the Medal of Bravery has been presented to 2,478 people, though no bars have yet been issued.
Commemoration
The Royal Canadian MintRoyal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint produces all of Canada's circulation coins, and manufactures circulation coins on behalf of other nations. The Mint also designs and manufactures: precious and base metal collector coins; gold, silver, palladium, and platinum bullion coins; medals, as well as medallions and...
in 2006 released a general circulation commemorative quarter
Quarter (Canadian coin)
The quarter is a Canadian coin, valued at 25 cents or one-fourth of a Canadian dollar. It is a small, circular coin of silver colour. According to the Royal Canadian Mint, the official name for the coin is the 25-cent piece, but in practice it is simply called a quarter.-History of...
showing on the reverse a variation of the design of the Medal of Bravery.
Recipients
The following are some notable recipients of the Medal of Bravery:- Robert BinderRobert BinderLeading Seaman Robert Teodor Binder , of Mississauga, Ontario, was a member of the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve who was awarded the Medal of Bravery on 26 November 2010...
, awarded 26 November 2010 - Mary Margaret 'Diane' Brock , awarded 2 December 1977
- Joseph Jacques Mario CharetteJoseph CharetteA Canadian medical assistant serving with the Canadian Airborne Regiment , Joseph Jacques Mario Charette was awarded a Medal of Bravery after disarming a Somali mob approached the Belet-Wen Hospital on February 17, 1993.-References:...
, awarded 1 February 1994 - Konrad Lionel ShourieKonrad ShourieSgt. Konrad Lionel Shourie is a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer assigned to the Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams.On December 5, 2002, while attached to the Oshawa RCMP branch, he was one of three Canadian police officers awarded the Medal of Bravery for their role in the UN...
, awarded 18 April 2002 - Éric FortierÉric FortierÉric Fortier, M.B., of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, is a recipient of the Medal of Bravery, a Canadian honour for acts of heroism.The citation reads:...
, awarded 18 April 2002 - M. Mohamed ChelaliMoh ChelaliMohamed Chelali, , is an Algerian-born Canadian teacher and politician. He holds degrees in engineering, business, and education. Chelali currently teaches French at R.E...
, awarded 19 June 2003 - Paul LandryPaul LandryPaul Landry M.B. is a French-Canadian polar explorer, author, and adventurer who is the only paid man to ever reach three Geographical poles in a single year....
, awarded 26 February 2002 - John BoyarskiJohn BoyarskiJohn Barry Boyarski, MB is a retired Greater Vancouver British Columbia Canada Translink bus driver and recipient of three awards acknowledging bravery....
, awarded 19 August 1989