1. Objective
The Women Veterans Council (WVC) offers the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence (hereinafter referred to as the Minister), through Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), insight on specific initiatives and priority areas from their unique points of view and lived experiences on all matters of importance to women across military service, including currently serving members and Veterans.
The objective of the WVC is to offer lived experience and expertise in achieving equity for women Veterans in the areas of health, access, practice and policy to support the betterment of all women.
2. Mandate
The WVC, as an advisory body, will work to identify systemic barriers, sources of discrimination and provide advice and recommendations to the Minister on a wide variety of issues, including but not limited to: transition supports for members and Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), equitable access to VAC benefits and services, as well as women's perspectives on health, data, and economic equity, outreach and recognition.
3. Responsibilities
The WVC responsibilities include:
- Advising on the efforts of the Government of Canada in addressing equity for women in benefit access, data equity, economical equity and health equity;
- Providing recommendations on information, events and resources that may empower and inform the broader women Veteran community;
- Actively reviewing all pre-meeting materials shared in advance of WVC meetings;
- Actively participating, collaborating, and providing feedback, analysis and recommended solutions during meetings;
- Developing advice, supported by the perspectives gathered from those with lived experience, through VAC-led consultation and engagement activities (see Section 10);
- Achieving consensus (defined as striving to ensure that all perspectives are reflected in the final decision), where possible, in presenting formal advice to the Minister, however, if there is any abstained or dissenting opinion, it will be recorded;
- The co-chair or delegated WVC member(s), in collaboration with the Minister’s office and VAC, are responsible for the co-development of an annual deliverable that reflects the WVC’s activities and contributions over the reporting period. This deliverable is intended to provide a clear and accessible summary to support transparency and accountability.
4. Relationship to Veterans Affairs Canada
The WVC is an advisory body and does not direct operations, resource allocation or personnel matters within VAC. The WVC provides advice and perspectives to inform the Minister’s decision-making on matters affecting women Veterans and serving members.
The WVC secretariat is provided by VAC and supports its coordination and operations.
5. Composition
WVC members are women, or individuals who identify as women, who have served or are currently serving in the CAF or RCMP and who bring lived, educational and/or professional experience to inform the WVC’s work.
Age, years of service, service occupation, deployment experience, VAC client status, service branch of the CAF (Army, Navy, Airforce, Special Ops, Canadian Rangers), geographical location and first official language may be factors considered in appointing members to the WVC.
A balanced membership should reflect diverse representation including:
- Officer and non-commissioned members (CAF and RCMP Veterans);
- Women with a service-related disability;
- Women from communities that have been historically underrepresented, including Black, racialized, and Indigenous women;
- Gender-diverse; and
- Family status (e.g., single, married, with and/or without children).
6. Membership term
Members are selected for a 1.5-year term (18 months), with the option to extend for one renewal.
WVC members who do not wish to renew their term may voluntarily step down at any time.
At the 12-month mark of their 18-month term, each WVC member will be invited to submit an expression of interest to the Minister regarding their interest in extending their membership on the Council.
7. Chair role and responsibility
The WVC has two co-chairs, one is elected by WVC members through a confidential vote, administered by the secretariat, and conducted at an official WVC meeting and will serve for a minimum of one year with the option to express interest to extend up to a maximum of three years.
The WVC co-chair will be supported by a VAC co-chair who will attend and help facilitate WVC meetings.
The co-chairs will be responsible for chairing all meetings, calling items forward for a vote, identifying agenda items, supporting documentation and approving guest speakers.
8. Code of Conduct
Members will need to agree to, and sign a copy of, the Code of Conduct and Core Values assigned to WVC membership (Annex A).
9. Conflicts of interest
A conflict of interest exists when a member of the WVC has a personal or professional interest that may influence them when making decisions, recommendations or advice as a member of WVC.
These conflicts may be actual, potential or perceived, and can include interests such as personal or professional affiliations, organizational connections, relationships with organizations who receive federal funding and/or family relationships and friendships.
WVC members have a responsibility to voluntarily disclose and resolve any conflicts before it interferes or jeopardizes the integrity of the WVC’s work.
WVC members will also need to disclose to the co-chairs, the secretariat and the Minister’s Office representative in writing, any such conflicts of interest.
Should their personal situation change, it is incumbent upon the member to update all information, including their disclosure of conflicts of interest, in writing.
Once the conflict of interest has been appropriately disclosed to the co-chairs, secretariat and Minister’s Office, in consultation with the WVC, members must decide what action is required and make a recommendation on a course of action.
Decisions and related actions include whether:
- The conflict needs to be avoided or simply documented;
- The conflict will impair the WVC member’s capacity to participate in the best interest of the WVC;
- Options to avoid the conflict; or
- Recommend the WVC member to be temporarily removed.
The secretariat will be responsible for documenting, preserving, protecting privacy and updating these conflict disclosure and decision records.
10. Meetings
The WVC will meet four to six times per year, and all meeting dates will be co-developed in consultation with the WVC, the secretariat and the Minister’s Office.
If necessary and with the co-chairs' approval, the WVC may call ad hoc meetings.
Time commitment for a virtual meeting will be a maximum of three hours. If more time for a virtual meeting is required, the meeting will span over two days.
WVC members will serve as knowledgeable individuals as it relates to their own personal lived experience as service women and Veterans, therefore no substitution of members is allowed.
WVC may decide to break for the summer annually (July and August).
11. Communication and engagement
As part of their work, the WVC may be expected to engage with, or provide feedback on, documents and initiatives from the following groups:
- The mandate priorities of Ministerial Advisory Groups;
- The Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs studies;
- Parliamentary and Senate studies and the implementation of recommendations related to women Veterans;
- VAC’s Women Veterans Forum; and
- The CAF/VAC Joint Steering Committee.
The Department will facilitate the coordination and booking of these meetings as needed.
12. Costs
VAC will cover meeting costs, including facility rental and associated costs and the cost of translation.
Travel will be approved as per the Treasury Board of Canada Guidelines on “Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures.”
All travel must be pre-authorized by VAC through the secretariat. WVC members will be reimbursed in accordance with the guidelines.
Members agree and confirm that becoming a member of the WVC is voluntary and unpaid.
Annex A: Code of conduct
Privacy notice: The Women Veterans Council does not collect, use, disclose, or retain any personal information as defined under section 3 of the Privacy Act. Participation in the council does not require the provision of identifiable personal information. Any feedback or input provided will be anonymized and used solely for policy development and/or advisory purposes.
Should any personal information be inadvertently provided, it will be deleted. If you suspect that there has been a privacy breach involving personal information, details will be provided to the VAC Privacy Breach Coordinator immediately at privacycomplaintsplaintesconcernantlavieprivee@veterans.gc.ca.
Purpose
This Code of Conduct establishes the standards of behavior expected of all WVC members to foster a collaborative, respectful and inclusive environment.
Principles
WVC members agree to:
Identify accessibility needs
Proactively communicate any accessibility needs to allow the Department sufficient time to arrange accommodations in accordance with the Accessibility Act.
Participate in training and information sessions
Complete training/information sessions designed to support WVC duties, as applicable, so that the combined membership has the training, including, but not limited to:
- Chair training,
- Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+),
- Sex and Gender-Based Analysis Plus (SGBA+),
- Trauma-informed care, and Mental Health First Aid.
Act as an individual member
Serve the WVC as an individual, not as a representative of a specific group or entity, ensuring contributions focus on the WVC’s collective interests.
Foster openness, collaboration and respect
Work collaboratively with fellow WVC members, promoting clear communication, fairness and mutual respect.
Value diverse experiences
Acknowledge and respect the different skills, backgrounds and lived experiences of all WVC members, creating an environment that encourages understanding and inclusivity.
Consider different perspectives
Engage with sensitivity, welcoming diverse viewpoints as an opportunity for personal and collective learning.
Maintain confidentiality
Refrain from sharing information discussed during WVC meetings until the official Record of Discussion is approved and made public, upholding the WVC’s confidentiality requirements.
Manage conflicts of interest
Disclose any potential, real, or perceived conflicts of interest promptly to the co-chairs, the Minister’s Office and the secretariat in writing.
WVC members are expected to update their disclosures if circumstances change and to follow recommendations to manage or resolve the conflict.
Respectful engagement
All members and departmental staff supporting the WVC are expected to maintain a respectful tone toward all WVC members, departmental representatives, the Minister’s Office and other partners and shall uphold integrity, dignity, and professionalism in all interactions.
Maintain professionalism on- and off-duty
WVC members must recognize that their actions outside of formal WVC activities may still reflect on the WVC. They agree to avoid conduct, both online and offline, that could reasonably be seen to undermine the WVC’s credibility, harm relationships, or compromise trust in the WVC’s work.
Commitment to core values
Uphold the core values outlined below and integrate them into their conduct as a WVC member.
Core values of the Women Veterans Council
The following represent the core values of the WVC. They reflect the standards by which members are expected to conduct themselves.
Equity
Commit to promoting and advocating for equity in all WVC matters, recognizing and addressing systemic barriers faced by women (in-service and Veterans).
Inclusivity
Embrace a diversity of voices, experiences and perspectives, ensuring that all WVC members feel valued, heard and respected.
Collaboration
Foster a cooperative spirit among members, working together to create meaningful change for women (still-serving and Veterans).
Transparency
Engage in open, honest and clear communication with WVC members, VAC, the Minister and their office and other key partners.
Integrity
Act with honesty and responsibility, prioritizing the best interests of the WVC and the women it represents.