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The Society is working on a number of projects into 2019, including having the Memorial Ribbon formally endorsed by the Federal Government as the official symbol of mourning when an officer dies in the line of duty. We have received a Letter of Endorsement from the Presidents of the CACP, CPA, and the CPPOM acknowledging the Memorial Ribbon as the official symbol for these agencies. The Society has met with some Members of Parliament and we have begun the process of having an MP put forward a Private Members Bill in the House of Commons to formally recognize the Ribbon. We hope to get this done in the next sitting in Ottawa.

Another critical project that we are working on is a mental health initiative for First Responders. We tragically lose more and more peace officers to Operational Stress Injuries (PTSD) every year, and the Society is looking at how we can make it easier for officers and their families to get support before it is to late. We have begun speaking to many mental health support agencies and other professionals in an effort to come up with easier accesses to solutions.

Additionally, the Society has also started a committee to look at building a National Memorial Museum, likely a long-term project.

Finally, we are in the process of putting together our First Police and Peace Officers’ Golf Fundraiser, which will include a round of golf, dinner, and auctions. The fundraiser is set for August 15 at Newlands Golf and Country Club (https://www.newlandsgolf.com/), so put that date aside so you can participate! More information on the fundraiser will be coming out shortly.

For its 15th anniversary, the CBSA has created a historical exhibit of panels that include its legacy organizations dating back to before Confederation, as well as an Honour Wall with the names of its 15 Fallen Officers dating back to 1876. The exhibit is an amazing tribute to both the CBSA’s history and its Fallen Heroes.

On December 12, 2018, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) celebrated the 15th Anniversary, established in 2003. Interestingly, the history of the CBSA and its legacy organizations goes back to a time well before Confederation. This is because customs collection, immigration, and the securing of borders are among the oldest and most basic roles of government.

At Confederation in 1867, Canada gained the autonomous right to fund itself, control its borders, and protect its economy. To support this new independence, Canada immediately created the Federal Departments of Customs and Agriculture to collect revenue and build an economy that grew with colonization. In the years that followed, Agriculture, Immigration and Customs officers worked shoulder-to-shoulder at Canada’s ports of entry to protect the interests of all Canadians.

December 12, 2003 saw the birth of the Canada Border Services Agency, combining the formidable skills of the three traditional partners: agriculture, customs and immigration. In a powerful formation, the Canadian border became the focus of close cooperation between these three entities to ensure the highest level of security for Canadians.

The CBSA’s 15th Anniversary historical exhibit was created to commemorate the Agency’s contributions as the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement organization. When we think of Canada’s history, we can’t help but think of large-scale immigration, of bountiful agriculture, of industry, and of trade — and the CBSA and its legacy organizations have played a leading role in all these pillars of Canadian success. By safeguarding our borders while facilitating trade and collecting revenue, the Agency has helped build the stable and prosperous Canada we all know today.

The CBSA is proud of its work and proud of its history. While accepting the risks that comes with serving Canada and protecting its borders, the Agency remembers those who served through time — and especially those who died in the line of duty:

• Andrew Lemond Wilson (1876)
• Hugh MacLean (1881)
• Herbert George Herbert (1912)
• William C. Hopkinson (1914)
• James Clifford Adams (1914)
• Marshall Jackson (1917)
• William George Hughes (1927)
• Turner Ingalls, Jr. (1927)
• George A. Jackman (1943)
• Percy New (1954)
• Frederick Francis Harris (1967)
• Georges Alary (1980)
• James Finnamore (1994)
• Ruth Korum (1994)
• David Moore (1994)

The Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society was quite active in 2018. Read on for a summary of our activities the past year.

“To Remember Our Fallen Heroes”: Four Line of Duty Deaths in 2018

Unfortunately, four Canadian peace officers were tragically killed in the line of duty this year:

• Cst. Ian Jordan of the Victoria Police Department, who succumbed to injuries from a car incident after 30 years in a coma
• Cst. Lawrence Robb Costello and Cst. Sara Burns of the Fredericton Police Force , who were shot and killed responding to a shots fired call
• Correctional Officer Lesa Zoerb of the Correctional Service of Canada, Saskatchewan, who was killed in a motor vehicle incident.

Four is too many, but we all know that we risk losing officers every year due to the dangerous nature of protecting the peace and freedoms all Canadians enjoy. The Memorial Ribbon Society was there for each memorial event to assist in the healing by showing the families and peers of our fallen that they will not be forgotten.

First Fundraiser: Country Strong Gala

In the summer we had our first fundraiser, the Country Strong Gala , where country artists Rod Black and Hillbilly Vegas performed for attendees. Through the generous support of individuals and corporations, the event raised significant funds which will be directed to our six core objectives including providing post-secondary education scholarships to the children of fallen officers.

Memorial Events in 2018

Memorial Ribbon Society volunteers attended many events across Canada this past year, including the National Memorial in Ottawa, some Provincial Memorials and funerals for the fallen. The Society’s attendance at these events raise awareness about the officers we have lost in the line of duty and honour their sacrifice through the use of the Ribbon. With the help of some tech savvy volunteers, we are continuing to expand the use of our new website as well as social media (Facebook and Twitter). We hope to post more news and information stories in 2019.

Working to Make the Ribbon the Official Federally Endorsed Symbol of Mourning

Due to the number of agencies, departments and members of the public requesting Ribbons over the past year, we can honestly say that the Memorial Ribbon is now recognized by just about everyone across the country. We have also had many agencies and societies request the use of the Ribbon on their Honour web pages, Memorials, and similar items.

Although the Memorial Ribbon is well-recognized, there is still a lot of work to do to make it the official national symbol of mourning for peace officers protecting communities across Canada who are killed in the line of duty. Hopefully no other peace officer dies in the Line of Duty and we only have to pull out the Ribbons at the Annual National and Provincial Memorial Services.

Online Donations & Sales

We continue to make sales of Ribbon-related merchandise through our improved on-line store, and accept donations by credit card through our website or by cheque.

Thank You & Stay Safe in 2019

Thank you for your support of the Memorial Ribbon Society in 2018. Over the last 20 years, we have donated over $237,000 to memorials, monuments, and scholarships that honour those lost in service of protecting their communities. Your continued generosity shows the families of peace officers killed in the line of duty, and all Canadians, that our fallen will not be forgotten.

Please, stay safe and watch out for each other.

Photos

The Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society became a national charity in 2008. Since that time we have received many donations – large donations, small donations, monthly donations, and donations in memory of an officer / loved one. The Society held our first fundraiser in August, and we had many generous people donate throughout the night, making it a huge success.

100% of all donations go to the Society’s Memorial Ribbon Scholarship fund, which assists and supports the children of fallen officers with their post secondary education. The Memorial Ribbon Scholarship was created in 2011 and to date the Scholarship has helped fourteen children, with two having graduated in the last few years. In 2018, we had three more children apply for the scholarship and we anticipate many more over the next few years.

The Society’s goal is to expand the scholarship to include education for ‘special needs’ children of fallen officers no matter what the age.

The Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society is the only society or entity in Canada that offers a scholarship to the children of fallen officers in law enforcement (‘sworn’ police and peace officers who enforce our laws, whether National, Provincial, Municipal or Indigenous).

Scott Shepherd, the Memorial Ribbon Scholarship Foundation Chair, recently stated:

“Daily, we see our people in uniform serving in their many jobs, but rarely stop to think about the ultimate risk and sacrifice that some pay while they are performing their jobs in the line of duty. Yet if you talk to them, you will realize that they view their job as an honour and privilege to serve. The risk comes with the territory and they are proud to protect us.

We feel the loss of each of these officers as they are announced, but perhaps don’t think of the long-term consequences of this loss to the individual families as the years go by, and their children grow up without their mother or father.

Tough choices, lonely choices. Particularly for the costs of post-secondary education.
I ask myself, how can such a compassionate and caring society not in some way ensure that these children are provided for as they grow up. To give each access to education excellence that we would be proud of for each of our own sons and daughters. For make no mistake, they are our sons and daughters. Each of these children is Canada’s ward, and we should embrace them and ensure that their educational needs are met if they wish to proceed with post-secondary education.”

It is through your generosity that we are able to support the children of these ‘heroes’. As we take away some of the financial burden of post secondary education, the surviving family is better able to focus on healing.

I would like to take this time to thank all those that have donated to the Society and for those who continue to support the Memorial Ribbon Scholarship. Thank you.

Shawn Coady, M.O.M. C.D.
President

On November 6 2017, Constable John Davidson, of the Abbotsford Police, was shot and killed in the line of duty. The family was devastated, the Abbotsford Police Department was shocked, and the law enforcement community felt the loss of another officer killed protecting his community. This tragedy was caught on tape and played on all sorts of media across Canada and the USA. Other agencies attended Abbotsford Police Department to assist them through this trying time and help them police their city. During the week, the Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society received many requests for Ribbons, and sent messages of condolence to the family of John Davidson. It was clear that not only the community of Abbotsford was rallying around the family, but all Canadians were doing the same.

It was at this time that the Society’s vice-president Ross Gulkison approached a number of corporations in an effort to turn their lights ‘blue’ to show support for John Davidson and the ‘thin blue line’. Ross approached John Daly of CKNW who loved the idea and spoke about it on his radio show. Through his show, more corporations joined in and changed their lights to blue on the night before John Davidson’s funeral. Lights at BC Place, Rogers Arena, City Hall, and many other landmarks and cities across Canada switched to ‘blue’ for the night. It was an amazing sight and showed the family, Abbotsford Police and the law enforcement community that we, Canadians, support you.

Photography artist Mado El Khouly took a photo of the Vancouver waterfront with all of the ‘blue lights’ and posted it on the Internet. Of all the photos, in our opinion, his was the best. We contacted Mado and he gave us permission to use his photo as a tribute. We called it ‘Blue Lights’, for obvious reasons. We presented a framed print of the photo to the family of John Davidson and Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich. We also thought it important to thank John Daly for his part in promoting this show of support.

If you wish to purchase a copy of the Blue Lights poster, they will be for sale in the next few weeks on the Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society website store (www.memorialribbon.org).

The photos below show Ross Gulkison at the CKNW offices, with Executive Producer John O’Dowd, presenting John Daly a framed print of this photo, in appreciation for all his successful work in getting the word out about switching to ‘blue lights’ to honour Constable John Davidson.

One of the goals of the Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society is to foster a continued relationship between a fallen officer’s family and that officer’s agency. In the past, when as officer was killed in the line of duty, the family was sometimes forgotten about once the funeral was over. Today the Society works to keep the family involved with the law enforcement community so that a healing dialogue can continue. As a first step, working with the officer’s home agency, the Memorial Ribbon Society presents a limited edition ‘Salute to Our Fallen Heroes’ print to the family depicting officers saluting a slain officers hat on the steps of the National Memorial Pavilion, while the spirits of officers in the Pavilion return the salute. The Society also presents a memorial plaque to the agency, so that all of their members and the public will not forget.

Over the years we have found that our work helps the relationship between the agency and family to become stronger – the family remains an important part of the agency, invited to agency events throughout the year.

In the last several years we have made this presentation to the families of several fallen officers from across Canada; photos of these presentations can be found below.

Photos

The Police & Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society hosted their first fundraiser on Saturday August 18, 2018 at the Imperial Theatre in Vancouver. The Society partnered with Bristol Records, who brought in the Country Strong Tour with Top 20 Billboard country artist Rod Black and Top 40 US charting country artist Hillbilly Vegas. We had many corporate sponsors and many corporate donations to help in raising money for the Memorial Ribbon Scholarship.

The night started out with a meet and greet involving many VIPs and dignitaries, including the US Consul General Katherine Dhanani and law enforcement officers. Our volunteers helped throughout the evening registering guests, selling Ribbons, 50/50 tickets, and other duties. Former Global TV personality John Daly co-MC’d the event and made the night flow smoothly. Once the music started, people were up and dancing and having a great time. Some of the silent auction items caused a few bidding wars and donations from the floor were generous. Overall, our first fundraiser can go down as a huge success with all the proceeds going to a great cause.

The Memorial Ribbon Scholarship was created in 2011 and supports the children of fallen officers with post-secondary education scholarships. To date we have supported 12 children of fallen officers, with two having graduated from their post-secondary programs in the last couple of years. The Society chose to create the scholarship so the families of fallen officers do not have to be burdened with trying to find the finances to pay for post-secondary schooling, allowing them to focus on healing. With the funeral of the two Fredericton police officers being conducted on the same day as the gala, the night was quite poignant – there are now seven more children that the Society will support once they reach post-secondary school age.

I would like to thank all of the sponsors who helped make the night a success, with a special thank you to Pauline Jackson and Jovan Vujatovic who organized the whole night.

If you wish to support the scholarship fund with a donation, please go to our web page at https://www.memorialribbon.org/donate/.

Thank you,

Shawn Coady
President, Police & Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society

Photos

As a charity, the Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society relies on volunteers as our presence at different events, memorial ceremonies and funerals, as well as to run the Society’s operations behind the scenes. Our volunteers often travel long distances and have weathered everything from heavy downpours and heavy winds blowing both the rain and our tent sideways, snowfalls, cold temperatures, and hot temperatures, all to ensure people are aware of tragic incidents and have the opportunity to purchase a Ribbon and show support for fallen officers.

I would like to take this time to thank all those that have stepped up and helped us out over the past number of years, including Diane Coady, Robin Loucks, Terra Hoy, Debi Pyke, and Torin Coady.

The photos below show our volunteers and some Directors hosting an information tent at the Abbotsford PTSD walk / run in 2017 and 2018, the John Davidson vigil in 2017, the John Davidson funeral in 2017, and the Ian Jordan funeral in 2018.

Thank you again to our Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society volunteers.

Shawn Coady, M.O.M. C.D.
President

Photos

The Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society will be hosting ‘The Country Strong Tour Gala’, an evening of country music with artists Rod Black and Hillbilly Vegas, on August 18 at the Imperial Theatre in Vancouver. Monies raised will go towards the Memorial Ribbon Scholarship, which provides scholarships for the children of fallen Canadian peace officers, as well as memorials and monuments in fallen officers’ names.

The evening of camaraderie will feature door prizes (including a trip for two to Las Vegas), silent auction items, as well as food, all in support of the Memorial Ribbon Society and its objectives.

Download a printable press release.

Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketfly.com.

Over the last 15 years, the French translation of the Memorial Ribbon Society website has been performed by Daniel Bedard from Quebec. We recently received the sad news that Daniel is in the hospital with lung cancer and is not expected to survive the next few months. Our prayers are with him and his family.

A gofundme page has been started by Daniel to help his wife during this difficult time. If you would like to contribute, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/59v2kds to make a donation.

The Fourth Annual “Honor Always” Memorial Ceremony will take place in Blaine, WA on May 24, 2018 at 2:00 pm. The ceremony will take place at the Blaine Sector Headquarters of the US Border Patrol, 2410 Nature’s Path Way, Blaine, WA. Uniformed guests are expected to participate in Class A uniforms, civilian guests in business attire.

Download an event poster.

A national TV special is being produced to honour fallen police and peace officers in Canada. The title of the production is “Honour the Fallen” (“Nos Disparus” en francais) and is scheduled to air in mid-May. This will be an amazing special and a great awareness piece which shows the National Memorial in Ottawa and includes conversations with survivors and family.

The producers been working on this for two years but have recently lost a portion of the production funding, and they need to replace it as soon as possible. Any amount will help. Your donation will help tell stories of the fallen officers and help their families and colleagues heal from their losses.

To donate to the project, visit https://www.gofundme.com/honour-the-fallen.

Cst. Jeff Bartsch of the Weyburn Police Service in Saskatchewan is an avid runner. He has taken his passion and runs road races, marathons and half marathons for mental health awareness. What is unique about Cst. Bartsch’s runs is that he does it in his full police uniform.

Over the last number of years mental health and PTSD has become more recognized in first responders, including the law enforcement community. Cst. Bartsch has become an advocate for mental health and is running to make people aware not only about mental health, but that there is help for those suffering. He also runs in memory of the three officers killed in the Line of Duty in 2017: Constable John Davidson, Constable Frank Deschenes, and Constable Richer Dubuc.

On April 8, 2018 Cst. Bartsch will be running in the 2018 Run To Remember Uniform Challenge 21.1 km Half Marathon in Los Angeles, California alongside US law enforcement running to honour their fallen. All monies raised through Jeff’s fundraising campaign will go to fulfilling the objectives of the Memorial Ribbon Society, including providing for scholarships for the children of fallen officers.

To help Jeff meet his goal and support the Ribbon Society and their goals, please donate generously at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/marathon-for-mental-health-2018/.