Kevin Vickers

Kevin Michael Vickers (born September 29, 1956) is the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland-designate as of January 2015. He became world famous as the ninth Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons of Canada. The Sergeant-at-Arms is responsible for the safety and security of the Parliament buildings and occupants, and ensuring and controlling access to the House of Commons. The position includes the ceremonial function of carrying the ceremonial gold mace into the House of Commons before every sitting.

Vickers ended the October 22, 2014, shootings at Parliament Hill when he killed gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, who was exchanging gunfire with security personnel in the Centre Block of the Canadian parliamentary complex. Minutes earlier, Zehaf-Bibeau had killed Corporal Nathan Cirillo, a ceremonial guard, at the Canadian National War Memorial and shot a constable at the Peace Tower entrance. For his actions Vickers has been called a hero by the Prime Minister, Ministers of the Crown, the Leader of the Opposition, and Canadian and international media.

Prior to his role in Parliament Vickers served in the RCMP for 29 years, rising to the rank of Chief Superintendent.

Early life and family
Vickers was born in Newcastle, New Brunswick, where his mother Monica was a nurse and his father Bill operated a dairy named Northumberland Co-op Dairy. He is of Irish heritage.

Vickers grew up in Newcastle (now part of the city of Miramichi). His father invited home students from developing countries studying co-operatives at the Coady International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Policing
Vickers served in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for 29 years, attaining the rank of Chief Superintendent. He gained prominence as the incident commander during the 1999–2000 Burnt Church Crisis. He spent ten years stationed in Alberta and ten years stationed in the Northwest Territories, and subsequently was the director-general of the RCMP’s aboriginal police services branch. In 2003, he became Director General of the National Contract Policing Branch for Canada, managing nine separate branches of law enforcement.

Throughout his RCMP career, Vickers provided security for VIPs, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew. He also served as an aide-de-camp for the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick.

Sergeant-at-Arms
In June 2005, he joined the House of Commons as Director of Security Operations. He was appointed Sergeant-at-Arms for the Canadian House of Commons on August 24, 2006, and began serving on September 1, 2006.

Vickers recalled that in his interview for the post "... I told them that if they made me their sergeant-at-arms, there would be no walls built around Canada's Parliamentary buildings ... I have kept my promise."

In 2013, when Idle No More protestors arrived at Parliament Hill, Vickers participated in a ritual exchange of tobacco with Serpent River First Nation chief Isadore Day.

On October 22, 2014, during the Parliament Hill attack, Vickers was credited with the fatal shooting of Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the armed suspect in the attack, according to MPs and other witnesses. Zehaf-Bibeau entered the Centre Block under the Peace Tower, shooting a Commons security guard in the leg, exchanging gunfire, before running down the Hall of Honour to an alcove by the entrance to the Library of Parliament, which is beside Vickers' office. Vickers pulled a 9mm handgun from a lockbox and entered the hall. He threw himself on the ground and fired three shots that killed the gunman. A niece told the Calgary Sun, "This is the first time in his career that he's shot anyone."

Honours




Vickers has also been recognized by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration for his "Outstanding Contribution to Drug Enforcement".

Unofficial Honours
Vickers received an extended standing ovation in the House of Commons for his role in ending the 2014 shootings at Parliament Hill, Ottawa.

Comedian Stephen Colbert had high praise for Vickers, comparing his actions to those of Bruce Willis in the movie Die Hard and also praising his stoic reaction to the standing ovation in Parliament.

French President Francois Hollande said in an address to the Canadian Parliament. "I salute the courage of Kevin Vickers, who is known all across the world,”.

"The International Conference on Homeland Security in Tel Aviv opened with calling Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers to the stage to acknowledge him for his courage." Vickers will also be recognized by the speaker of the Israeli Knesset and will be asked to rise in his seat in the gallery to be acknowledged by parliamentarians.