Nova Scotia Division Member Receives Sovereign’s Medal

October 31, 2019

RCMP Veterans’ Association

Veterans Helping Veterans and Their Families

This information is being provided to all Association Members

The Medal for Volunteers recognizes the exceptional volunteer achievements of Canadians from across the country in a wide range of fields. As an official Canadian honour, it also pays tribute to the dedication and exemplary commitment of volunteers.

Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers Awarded to Nova Scotia Division First Vice-President Brian Carter

Dear Association Members,

We are very pleased to convey news from Nova Scotia Division provided by the Division President, Sandy Glen.

Sandy reminds us that the Canadian Sovereign Medal for Volunteers is a
Canadian Decoration intended to honour volunteers who have made a
significant and continual contribution to their community either in
Canada or abroad.

On Saturday, the 26th., of October, Division First Vice-President Brian Carter was awarded the Medal during the Division’s Annual Regimental Dinner and Ball.

Presenting the medal was the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, His Honour, Arthur J. Leblanc and “H” Division Commanding Officer, Assistant Commissioner Lee Bergerman.

Sandy reports that “Brian has been and continues to be a volunteer with Big Brothers, Water Ski Nova Scotia, the Annual Nova Scotia Downhill Ski Race,
Snowmobile Nova Scotia, and the RCMP Veterans Association, just to
name a few.

*Brian Carter with the Nova Scotia Lieutenant-Governor Arthur J. Leblanc on the left and “H” Division Commanding Officer, Lee Bergerman on the right.*

Brian is a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Retiring in 1999 but went to three other careers retiring from all in 2016

Volunteer work began in 1983 becoming a board member on Big Brothers / Big Sisters in Dartmouth NS. He served on that board for four years and spent countless hours on fundraising ventures for the organization.

The Submission Recommending Brian Carter

Brian then volunteered through his police work starting the first was the RCMP police ventures in Canada which is a youth group that brought youth into the RCMP under Scouts Canada. It still exists today in Nova Scotia.

Started a community based volunteer organization called Citizens on Patrol (COPS). This organization began in Lower Sackville Detachment and grew throughout the province. It trained citizens to patrol the streets helping police catch people breaking the law. This organization is now Canada wide and still exists in Nova Scotia today. Both of these organizations were stated in the late 1980’s early 90’s and were outside of his police duties.

Brian is a level 2 ski instructor and Performance level trained ski coach. He is also a level three ski official and a technical director for ski races.

Brian volunteered coached Lockview high school ski race team for ten years. It was the largest high school team in the province giving youth an opportunity to learn to ski race and become better skiers for life. During that time he helped the school win several banners and he was awarded the coach of the year by the NS School sports association.

He is the past president of the Driftclimbers snowmobile club where he served two terms as president and is currently serving as the safety co-ordinator.
Brian volunteered to serve in Haiti in 1995 and was on loan from the RCMP to the US Justice Department. He ran the Haitian National Police Firearms program. While serving he continued to volunteer during the mission. He ran a bar that was set up to create a safe place for the UN personnel to enjoy themselves at a TGIF every week. Police from around the world and other UN workers would attend to unwind and conduct business and meet with each other in a more relaxed open and free environment. He did aid work for Haitian children. Provided free food to the local community from his home in Haiti once a week by enlisting the help of co-workers and the US Special Forces members. He also volunteered weekends training Haitian judges in investigations. All of these roles he took on were completely on a volunteer base to help Haitians.

Brian was the chair of the Law Enforcement Sub Committee to advise the Minister of Department of Natural Resources on issues in enforcement of the Off Road Vehicle Act in Nova Scotia. This was for a period of three years from 2006 to 2009.

Chair of NS Trails, Trail warden subcommittee for two years 2004 to 2006. This committee set up a trail warden program made up of volunteers from the public involved in multiple use of trails.

Snow mobile Association of Nova Scotia, Brian has been involved with in minor ways for many years supporting snowmobile clubs and as a club president. In 2016 he was asked to chair a committee on communication. He did this for one year and then was asked to add to his role the development of a new trail warden program specific to snowmobiling and a brand new program called STOP which is to help enforce the trails that are trail permit only usage.

Water ski Wake Board Nova Scotia. Brian is the current vice president of the board. He has served on the board in various capacities including tournament director, safety director for the past ten years.

Wentworth ski racing club, he has been a board member since 2007 and currently the vice president of the board.

PARA alpine racing, Brian is a PARA alpine coach and has been the Nova Scotia coach for two Canada Games. This requires a lot of volunteer hours committed to recruiting athletes, dry land training and team building exercises and find raising efforts. He has coached athletes from New Brunswick as well. He volunteered on his own time to spend a week with the PARA national Team to learn from the national team and coaches to better coach in Nova Scotia.

Chief of race and an alpine ski racing technical director (TD). Brian has his level 3 official’s certification in ski racing. This is all volunteer work and a difficult process. It required bi-annual recertification. With level 3 he has been the chief of race for the largest ski race in Atlantic Canada for the past 6 years. The Roland Brunner Race at Ski Wentworth. This job begins in November and the race takes place in late February. It requires over 60 volunteers to take on many roles to make the three day race happen. He is responsible for the entire race from organization of the race committee and the setting up of the field of play for the race.
Ski Nova Scotia board is part of Sport Nova Scotia and is the governing body for alpine skiing in Nova Scotia is currently the vice president. Brian will take the president role in 2019. As a TD, he has to travel to races in NS to provide the technical knowledge for a race to safe and fair. Again all volunteer and takes up several weekends each winter away from his ski cottage and home hill. Further it is at his own expense as well.

RCMP Veterans Association, Brian is the first Vice President of Nova Scotia Division and will be president in 2020.

Volunteer shooting instructor for people serving in hostile countries doing aid work such as doctors without borders. By doing this these people have the ability is a worst case scenario to pick up a firearm and know how to use it safely to defend themselves or others.