On October 22, 2014, during such a terrible day for all of Canada, which included the tragic death of Canadian honour guard Cpl. Nathan Cirillo who was ambushed and fatally shot at the National War Memorial a short time beforehand, Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers ended an act of terror and kept our Members of Parliament, employees and visitors on Parliament Hill safe and secure.

With the help of the brave men and women from our nation's security forces in the RCMP, the City of Ottawa police, and in Parliament, Mr. Vickers, while risking his own life, faced and dispatched the immediate threat. Mr. Vickers is a symbol of the courage and steadfast dedication not only of those in our armed forces, but for all of those who serve on the front lines in our communities and abroad.

We, the undersigned, call on His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, to award Sergeant-At-Arms Kevin Vickers with the Cross of Valour - the highest possible honour available to Canadian civilians - in recognition of his bravery, selflessness and strength he demonstrated while facing enormous risk to himself.