Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just over a year ago, I reported to this House on a fatal accident in the community of Tuktoyaktuk. On May 29, 1998, 14-year-old Darryl James Gruben and two-year-old brother Patrick were returning from a hunting trip with their father. Their snowmobile went through the ice in Tuktoyaktuk Harbour. Darryl Gruben managed to hold his little brother's head above water until help arrived. Tragically, Darryl did not survive the freezing water.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to report today that Darryl Gruben has been awarded one of this country's highest honours for bravery. I have been informed by Rideau Hall that the Governor General, His Excellency, the Right Honourable Romeo LeBlanc, has awarded Darryl the Medal of Bravery. The Medal of Bravery is given only for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances. Very few people are ever considered for this honour, and so it is a testament to Darryl Gruben's courage and the strength of his character that he has been awarded this medal. A ceremony to present Darryl's family with this award will be announced soon. I hope that today other Members of this House will join me in remembering this brave young man. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause