In a unanimous decision on Monday, a House of Commons committee urged the Liberal government to establish an independent review board for military honors, including Canada’s highest battlefield decoration, the Canadian Victoria Cross. This request stems from a longstanding effort by several Afghan War veterans to reevaluate the case of the late Private Jess Larochelle. Nearly two decades ago, Larochelle demonstrated exceptional bravery by repelling a significant Taliban attack on his combat outpost despite sustaining severe injuries. He was honored with the Star of Military Valour, the country’s second-highest recognition for combat bravery.
Both the federal Senate and various provinces, such as Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia, have supported similar motions advocating for the establishment of an independent panel. A social media campaign led by the group Valour in the Presence of the Enemy has persistently argued that Larochelle’s actions merit the Canadian Victoria Cross. Larochelle, who faced health challenges following his military service, passed away in 2023.
Conservative Member of Parliament Blake Richards, who introduced the motion to the House of Commons veterans committee, emphasized the extraordinary nature of Larochelle’s actions on October 14, 2006, stating that new information suggests he may have been deserving of the Victoria Cross. Liberal MP Pauline Rochefort, representing Larochelle’s hometown region of Nipissing-Timiskaming, voiced her support for the motion and is championing a petition with over 16,000 signatures calling for Larochelle to be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
The motion and proposed independent panel review aim to showcase how Canada honors its military personnel and acknowledges acts of courage and sacrifice at the highest level. Established in 1993, the Canadian Victoria Cross remains the country’s most prestigious military honor, though it has never been bestowed. While the British Victoria Cross has been awarded to Canadians and other Commonwealth soldiers for exceptional gallantry since the mid-19th century, the last Canadian recipient was during World War II.
Unlike Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, Canada has not awarded the Victoria Cross for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States recognized 28 individuals with the Medal of Honor, its highest battlefield decoration, for their service in these conflicts. The Canadian defense department has clarified that while numerous acts of bravery occurred during the Afghan War, they were acknowledged with medals like the Star of Military Valour. The department maintains that the criteria for the Victoria Cross, requiring “most conspicuous bravery” or a “pre-eminent act of valour,” were not met in the reviewed cases involving recipients of the Star of Military Valour during the Afghan War.