March 6, 2007
Commonwealth Awards for Rescues

Last Saturday, with the Lieutenant-Governor and the Attorney General, I attended the 95th annual Commonwealth awards ceremony presented by the Lifesaving Society. It was an honour for me to again listen to the heroic actions of British Columbians as young as seven years old.

Last summer seven-year-old Calum and ten-year-old Macaulay Mowbray saved their great-grandpa's life when he lost his balance at the poolside, broke his hip and fell into the water. The young Mowbrays received silver medals for their courage and for remembering what they learned in swimming lessons.

Silver medals for bravery were presented to Chad Becher, Kevin Loewen, Kelly Parslow, Joel Visscher, Ryan Boivin, Chad Longland, Russell Mills, Dave Trickett, Robert Murphy, Alejandro Muzio, Dave Paslawski and Ashlie St. Laurent.

Chad Longland was presented with the Governor's gold medal for the most heroic rescue of the year. While he and his fiancée were walking their dog along the Vedder River near Chilliwack last August, Chad noticed a limp body was drifting into an eddy. He quickly swam ten metres to the place he had last seen the person. He learned later that he was rescuing 16-year-old Nicholas Chan of Vancouver, who lost consciousness unexpectedly while swimming with his family and friends.

Chad found Nicholas at the bottom of the river. He dove down, grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him up. Nicholas wasn't breathing. Chad resuscitated him, and he was later treated for hypothermia in hospital.

I would like to ask the House to join me in thanking all the award recipients for their quick thinking and unselfish acts at a time when they were needed most.