Lt.-Gov. Donald S. Ethell awarded 19 more Albertans with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Friday, and while two of those recipients were from St. Albert, they both occupy the same volunteer position, one very close to Ethell.
Canadian Forces Maj. Brian Roach and RCMP Const. Lesley Ripley were both awarded medals at the afternoon ceremony at Government House in Edmonton. Both call St. Albert home, but both also serve in a unique position — they are part of the roster of aides-de-camp that serve the lieutenant-governor. Aides-de-camp act as liaisons for lieutenant-governor, provide advice and assistance to hosts of official functions, ensure individuals at functions adhere to correct levels of protocol and attending to the needs of the lieutenant-governor when required.
Other notable recipients in attendance included former MLA and cabinet minister Don Mazankowski, Edmonton Police Service Chief Rod Knecht, former senator Tommy Banks and Running Room founder John Stanton.
“They all provide tremendous service,” Ethell said in his remarks as he presented Ripley with her medal. “Most people don’t realize the amount of work that goes into being an aide-de-camp.”
Roach has served as an aide-de-camp since 1996, when the army moved to Edmonton Garrison. In his military service with the army, Roach has been deployed to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, Afghanistan and the Balkans. He now serves as a strategist for Land Forces Western Area.
“Humbling,” Roach replied when asked how it felt to receive the medal. “The people who are here today are incredible and to be a part of a group of what’s really — they only pressed I think 60,000 medals for Canada — it’s quite an honour but very humbling.”
Roach revealed that one cannot simply volunteer to serve as an aide-de-camp. The office of the lieutenant-governor notifies the Canadian Forces and the RCMP when there are openings, and both organizations select suitable candidates for service.
Roach personally has served four lieutenant-governors, dating back to Horace Andrew “Bud” Olson.
“When the army was moving up here in 1996, that’s when I was interviewed and I’ve been an aide-de-camp ever since.”
Ripley received her medal not only for service to the office of the lieutenant-governor, but also for working as an RCMP constable and having been named a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. She has worked as an aide-de-camp for 12 years, serving three lieutenant-governors and supports the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
“Again, it’s an extreme honour. It’s very much a privilege to work with their honours and to receive such an accomplishment, it’s very exciting,” Ripley said.
Ripley has provided service to three lieutenant-governors, including the late Lois Hole. She said she was very honoured when she was asked to volunteer as an aide-de-camp.
“I absolutely admired [Hole] from the community and as she became lieutenant-governor, and again I was extremely honoured when I was approached.”
Ethell couldn’t help having some fun while presenting Roach and Ripley with their medals. He commented that Roach must have started serving “when you were a lieutenant,” and told a story about Ripley and how her attractiveness on one occasion proved to be a distraction.
“I was on stage at the Shaw Conference Centre and nobody was looking at me,” Ethell said, to much laughter.
The Diamond Jubilee Medal was created to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 60-year reign and is awarded to citizens “who have made real and lasting contributions to the quality of life we enjoy as Albertans and Canadians,” Ethell said in a news release.
