16-17 September 2025
15:00 – 18:00 EST
Virtual (MS Teams)
Women Veterans Council members
- Lieutenant-Colonel (Retired) Eleanor Taylor, Canadian Armed Forces
- Constable (Retired) Vivienne Stewart, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Lieutenant (Navy) (Retired) Wenshuang “Wen” Nie, Canadian Armed Forces
- Colonel (Retired) Telah Morrison, OMM, CD, Canadian Armed Forces
- Sergeant (Retired) Jessica Miller, Canadian Armed Forces
- Corporal (Retired) Sarah Lefurgey, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Warrant Officer (Retired) Celine Filion, Canadian Armed Forces
- Constable (Retired) Jennifer Chorney, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Lieutenant-Colonel Dawn Leblanc, CD, Canadian Armed Forces
- Captain (Retired) Lindsay Shields, CD, Canadian Armed Forces
- Corporal Ellen Peters, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Captain (Retired) Hélène Le Scelleur, CD, Canadian Armed Forces
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) officials
- Christine McDowell, Associate Deputy Minister and Champion of Inclusion and Gender-Based Analysis Plus
- Moussa Dramé, A/Director General, Community Engagement
- April Stevens, Chief of Staff
- Peggy Nash-Butt, Manager, Women and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans Team
- Alesia Chiasson, A/Project Officer, Women and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans Team
- Ana Belen, Program Operations Assistant, Women and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans Team
- Alex Asselin, A/Director General, Communications
- Alyssa Stewart, Communications Officer, Communications
- Lisa Garland-Baird, Research Manager, Women Veterans, Research Directorate
- Kim Bethke, Project Lead Women Veterans Research Plan, Research Directorate
Land acknowledgement and welcome remarks
The Associate Deputy Minister opened by welcoming the Women Veterans Council members and offered a land acknowledgment.
Women Veterans Council governance
A Governance Committee was established to clarify processes such as membership, funding, approvals, and to prepare for leadership renewal as the current co-chairs transition in January 2026. The Governance Framework was completed by the Committee and reviewed by all Council members prior to the meeting. The document is now moving through the departmental review and approvals process. Council members also confirmed that both co-chairs intend to step down in January 2026. Succession and sustainability planning is ongoing to ensure continuity. The Council reiterated its request for an official meeting with the Minister to clarify roles and mandates, underscoring the importance of this discussion in aligning on shared priorities.
Honouring Her Service: 2026 Women’s Forum
Discussed the Women’s Forum, emphasizing its importance for meaningful engagement, diversity of representation, and alignment with Council priorities. Members noted that several volunteers had expressed interest in supporting Forum planning and expressed concern that updates had not yet been shared. VAC advised that the 2026 Women’s Forum has not yet been confirmed. Council members also highlighted the value of hosting the Forum in person to foster deeper connection and dialogue with the Veteran community.
Service modernization
The Associate Deputy Minister presented updates on trauma-informed, Veteran-centric service modernization. Discussion focused on engagement beginning at recruitment, closing service gaps within the Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance program, former RCMP members, and transition.
Research collaboration
In alignment with the proposed Women Veterans Research Plan, VAC presented a proposal to study employment barriers for women Veterans, supported by the Invisible No More recommendations and VAC’s research priorities. The project will be supported through the Joint Federal Research Funding Program (JFRFP), with Council input sought on engagement approaches such as co-design and advisory roles. During the discussion, Council members suggested that VAC explore mechanisms—such as context-specific disclosure authorization documents—to support collaboration with external partners, particularly when sharing updates related to recommendations. Council members also noted the value of exploring budget considerations to support participation in relevant events, such as the annual Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) Forum.
VAC Strategic Communication Plan
VAC presented the Strategic Communication Plan for Women Veterans. Discussion focused on how VAC communicates with women Veterans and the need for grassroots-driven, risk-managed outreach. Council members highlighted the value of identifying concrete actions and timelines to support the plan’s objectives. VAC committed to continue adjusting tactics in its communications strategy to ensure it reflects what matters to women who’ve served, with guidance from the Council. Council members made a formal request for VAC to update the Council on RCMP representation in content.
Other discussions
- Council members discussed membership renewal, and the co-chairs confirmed their intention to step down from both their roles as co-chairs and as members of the Council. The Council inquired whether VAC retained a list of individuals who had been short-listed but not selected for the current Council, and whether those individuals might be considered to fill upcoming vacancies.
- Council members raised concerns about the efficiency of the current Council email inbox. They reiterated their preference to manage the inbox directly, noting that because it uses the Council’s name, it should reflect their voice. In the absence of that option, they recommended that the existing inbox be discontinued. VAC confirmed that, if the inbox is to remain active, it must continue to be managed by the department in accordance with departmental policy. The department agreed to review the Council’s recommendation.
- Council members reflected on the progress made since the Council’s establishment and emphasized the importance of timely information-sharing, role clarity, and sustained resources to support their mandate. They noted some requests remain under consideration and reiterated ongoing dialogue and follow-up are essential to enabling them to provide meaningful advice to the Minister and advocate for the women Veteran community.
- Council members discussed in-person and virtual meeting dates for 2026, as well as future training and information sessions. The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for January 13–14, 2026 (in person), with virtual meetings confirmed for March 10–11, June 9–10, and September 15–16, 2026.
Concluding remarks
A/Director General, Community Engagement offered closing remarks. The co-chairs thanked Council members for their valuable input and engagement. The meeting was adjourned.