History
Born the middle son to Joseph and Maria Breault, in Tecumseh on March 4, 1909, Dr. Henri Breault grew up on Tecumseh Road between St. Anne and Poisson Streets. Following elementary school, he then went to the University of Ottawa High School and College, receiving his B.A. in 1931. Continuing at the University of Western Ontario Medical School in London, Henri received his M.D. in 1936. After completing his internship at Hotel Dieu Hospital (Windsor) and residency in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Michigan (Detroit), he opened his private practice in Windsor in July 1939 and retired in 1980.
Dr. Breault raised two daughters, Elise and Rosemary, with his wife Monica. When Dr. Breault died on September 5, 1983, he was buried in Tecumseh at St. Anne's Cemetery.
On May 29, 1997, he was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame for his invention of the first child-proof medicine containers. The story of the Palm N’ Turn Safety Cap began in 1957 with the founding of the Windsor Poison Control Centre, created to address the widespread problem of childhood poisoning. At the time, two to three children a day were brought in to have their stomachs pumped after ingesting medications, vitamins, remedies, or household solvents stored in easy-to-open containers. Recognizing that prevention was the simplest solution, Dr. Henri Breault set out to design a safer cap.
Through determination, ingenuity, and tireless advocacy—including lectures and demonstrations to medical professionals, the pharmaceutical industry, and government officials—Dr. Breault succeeded in developing and gaining approval for the safety cap. In 1972, Ontario made safety caps mandatory on medication and household solvent containers. Other provinces followed in 1974, alongside federal legislation requiring child-resistant packaging for hazardous household products. The United States adopted similar legislation in 1980. As a result, child poisonings dropped by approximately 92%. Of the remaining cases, 4–5% occur when caps are not properly replaced.
Dr. Breault’s 17- to 18-year effort to bring the Palm N’ Turn Safety Cap to market stands as a testament to his dedication and perseverance.
Background and Guidelines
The Town of Tecumseh's Dr. Henri Breault Committee was established in the year 1998 with a mandate to "actively pursue candidates who have displayed continued dedication and perseverance to a cause or causes that have ultimately benefited the citizens of the Town of Tecumseh and the general public at large and presents awards to individuals for their dedication and perseverance”.
The following are the guidelines for receipt of the Dr. Henri Breault Award:
- The recipient must be living at the time of selection as recipient of the award;
- The recipient can be an individual of any age or a family, group, or company;
- The recipient must have had significant accomplishments that benefited the citizens of the Town of Tecumseh or the public at large.
Current & Past Recipients
| Current Recipient: 2025-2026 | ||
| Shaun Fuerth | ||
| 1998 | 2000-2003 | 2004 |
| John Staley | George Rocheleau, Don Lappan, and John Poole | Bill Onslow, Anne "Cookie" Rigo, Michael Rocheleau, and Kathleen Rocheleau |
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Anthony P. Toldo | Tony J. Azar | Dr. Albert Shumacher |
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010-2011 |
| Michael Solcz | Louis Gouin | Robert (Bob) Waronchak |
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014-2015 |
| Bernarda Camello-Doctor | John McGivney | Brian Sherwell |
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Tecumseh Goodfellows Team #35 | Michael J. Rovers | Larry Desanti |
| 2019-2020 | 2021 | 2022-2024 |
| None Awarded | Anita Imperioli | None Awarded |
