February 8, 1910 (11th Parliament, 2nd Session)

Mr. R. L. BORDEN.

I desire to point out to the government that by warrant under the Royal Sign Manual of the 13th day of July, 1907, His Majesty created a new medal to be entitled the Edward medal to be awarded for heroic acts performed by miners, quarrymen and others who endanger their own lives in endeavouring to save the lives of others from perils in mines and quarries. And, by a further warrant, under His Majesty's Royal Sign Manual, on date of 1st of December, 1909, it is provided that this medal shall be awarded to those who, in the course of industrial employment, endanger their own lives in endeavouring to save the lives of others from perils incurred in connection with such industrial employment. I would ask the government whether this medal can be awarded to those who perform acts of heroism in saving the lives of others who are engandered in connection with the work of the railways of this country? The reason why I ask is that a very notable act of heroism has been performed by a conductor of the Canadian Pacific railway, Conductor Thomas Reynolds, who, at the risk of his own life and with unexampled courage, succeeded in saving the lives of nine others who had been imprisoned in the dining car which fell into the river and through the ice in the recent accident on the Sault line. If this medal could be awarded in connection with such acts of heroism, I earnestly hope that the government will bring Mr. Reynolds' signal heroism to the attention of the imperial authorities.