General Powell made an outstanding contribution to American/Canadian relations during his tenure as National Security Advisor and while Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. His assistance to the Canadian Forces during the Gulf War, to the Canadian battle group at Sarajevo in July 1992, to the Canadian task force in the Coalition Intervention Force in Somalia, and to the rescue operation following the 1991 CFS Alert plane crash also demonstrated his outstanding professional leadership and concern for relations between the United States and Canada. In so doing, he has rendered invaluable service to Canada and to the Canadian Forces.

In 1995, Dr. Malakhov, a citizen of Russia, and Mr. Weber, a Canadian, successfully completed an unsupported 2,000 km round-trip expedition to the North Pole, widely considered to be the last unclaimed achievement of polar exploration. Due to their determination and perseverance, they managed to overcome severe weather conditions, incredible obstacles and sleep deprivation. In addition, they provided the impetus for a very successful educational program, Project Follow Us, which enabled thousands of students worldwide to follow their exploits via computer.