Conservative leader Erin O’Toole has thrown his support behind a veterans association’s attempts to garner the Victoria Cross (VC) for a Canadian who heroically fought in Afghanistan..“(Jess Larochelle) is worthy of consideration for Victorian class,” said O’Toole, himself a former commissioned officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force..“I’m very proud of the men and women who serve in our Canadian Armed Forces and those (who) served in that mission with distinction and unparalleled courage,” he said Sept. 17..The Afghanistan Veterans Association of Canada has petitioned the Governor-General of Canada to award the Victoria Cross to former Pvt. Larochelle, Nipissing, Ont. man who is in poor health..“I was in the same company with Jess,” said Bruce Moncur of Thompson, Man., founder of the Veterans Association..“The guy had a broken back and single-handedly fought off 40 Taliban.”.No Canadian has won the most prestigious award of the British honours system in 77 years, but Moncur said it’s time to change that..“The clock is ticking. His family does not want this to be a posthumous award,” he said..Larochelle in 2007 was awarded the Star of Military Valour for bravery in combat at Pashmul, Afghanistan..A year earlier, Larochelle fought off Taliban gunmen at a machine gun post despite injuries from heavy fire that killed two members of his unit and wounded four others..“Private Larochelle went above and beyond the call of duty, exhibited unwavering determination and fulfills the criteria of the Canadian Victoria Cross: bravery in the face of the enemy, turning the course of a battle, determination despite injury, and saving the lives of his section despite his own sacrifices,” said the petition..O’Toole said it’s a sad circumstance for all who served overseas..“The situation in Afghanistan that’s tumbling into crisis is hard for military families who left a piece themselves in that country,” he said..Yet another reason why we should not have had an election; we should have made sure that anyone that’s at risk in Afghanistan … (as prime minister) I will never leave someone behind like Mr. Trudeau has.”.In 1993 Canada created its own VC and withdrew from the British VC., but Canada has yet to award a Canadian VC.
