May 2nd, 2025
Commissionaires Québec Division recently hosted a special gala event at the Montréal Eaton Centre to celebrate the organization’s 100-year anniversary. Commissionaires representatives from across Canada, dignitaries, clients and partners gathered in the recently restored 9th floor event space of the building. With the room’s design set to the 1930s, the location was a perfect nod to the Corps’ beginnings.
At the event, Québec Division commissionaires were recognized for two separate life-saving interventions that occurred downtown Montréal.
The highlighted commissionaires work at one of the largest federal government complexes in Eastern Canada and play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of hundreds of employees and daily visitors. Their work often places them in situations involving individuals facing homelessness, addiction, and mental health challenges. It is a demanding post that requires attentiveness, compassion, and the resilience to act in moments of crisis.
The two separate incidents occurred in the summer of 2023 and the spring of 2024.
On July 14, 2023, commissionaires responded to an unconscious woman in cardiac arrest in a public washroom due to a drug overdose. Without hesitation, they administered CPR for ten minutes, successfully restoring her pulse before emergency services arrived. Paramedics later confirmed that the woman would not have survived without the rapid and coordinated actions of the commissionaires.
We were proud to recognize the following commissionaires who went above and beyond their duties during this incident:
Alberto Molina
Rijkaard Désil
A similar incident occurred on March 27, 2024, when an individual was found unconscious, again in the public washrooms. The man had reportedly consumed a combination of drugs and alcohol and went into cardiac arrest. With emergency services delayed, commissionaires administered CPR for over twenty minutes. The individual regained consciousness just before paramedics arrived.
We were proud to recognize the following commissionaires who went above and beyond their duties during this incident:
Victor Pinto
Francis Henley
Rockyson Vincent
The security guards involved in each incident worked together to ensure the safety of those in danger while maintaining the security of the busy worksite throughout both emergencies. Following each incident, clients expressed their gratitude to the commissionaires involved, commending them for handling the situations calmly and professionally.
As we mark 100 years of service, we celebrate the history of Commissionaires and the individuals who make our legacy a living one. We thank and congratulate these five commissionaires for their extraordinary actions.
From L-R: Francis Henley, recipient; Victor Pinto, recipient; Rijkaard Désil, recipient; and Marc Parent, CEO, Québec Division
