March 2021

International Women’s Day

We marked International Women’s Day in Canada and around the world on 8 March. The day is an opportunity to reflect on the progress made towards gender equality and to celebrate those who have played a role in advancing this goal. It is also a chance to raise awareness of the work left to be done.

Women have served in Canada’s military for more than a century. Overcoming many barriers to serve in uniform, they’ve paved the way for future generations while making the world a safer, more equitable place.

Meet two of these strong women: Corporal (Ret’d) Francine Beaudry and Sergeant (Ret'd) Marjorie (Worby) Stetson. Serving in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC) in the Second World War, Stetson worked to help break enemy coded messages. More recently, Beaudry served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 18 years, including deployments to Egypt and Germany, and provided communications support to Canadians serving in the Gulf War from Canada.

Get to know more of the women who served our country by visiting our web feature, They Proudly Served.

Virtual Veterans panel – How should Canada commemorate our post-Korean War military efforts?

Join us for an approximately one-hour exploration of this subject at 1:00 pm ET on 19 March 2021. Our virtual panel will feature three Canadian Armed Forces Veterans sharing their personal reflections: Lieutenant-General (ret’d) Lloyd Campbell, Lieutenant-Colonel (ret’d) Chris Hutt and Sergeant (ret’d) Geneviève Gauthier.

To register, email us at vac.education-education.acc@canada.ca before March 15. Please indicate if you wish to watch in English or French.

PPE and other Treatment Benefits options during COVID-19

There are some things to know about Treatment Benefits during this pandemic period.

Since the beginning of COVID measures in early 2020, you may have the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE – like masks) covered for medical appointments, including protective equipment for a medically required escort or family member joining you for an appointment.

Virtual healthcare and telehealth are also accepted as an alternative to in-person medical appointments.

For services other than prescription drugs (like physiotherapy or counselling) you don’t need to renew your prescriptions.

To learn more about the Treatment Benefits options available to you during the pandemic, please check out our list of FAQs.

Mental health and your family

Family members play an important role in their loved one’s well-being and recovery. As a family member of a Veteran, it’s also important for you to take care of your mental well-being.

There are a variety of services available to support your well-being, including:

• Operational stress injury clinics which take a family approach to support treatment and well-being.
• Operational Stress Injury Social Support (OSISS) provides a national peer support network for CAF members, Veterans and their families, close friends or caregivers.
• VAC Assistance Service is available 24/7 to family members of Veterans, including those who aren’t clients of VAC. Call 1-800-268-7708 (TDD/TYY: 1-800-567-5803) to talk to a mental health professional.
• Pastoral outreach programs are available to you for spiritual support if you are experiencing loss of a loved one.
• HOPE program is another resource where you can connect with families that have gone through a similar experience as your own.
• Veteran Family Program connects medically releasing and released Veterans and their families to community supports.

Caring for your own mental health is the first step in supporting others. Remember that your well-being matters and that we have services available for you.

Offer feedback on Canada’s proposed accessibility regulations

Proposed Accessible Canada Regulations are now available in Canada Gazette, Part I.

These proposed regulations provide details on how federally regulated entities must prepare and publish an accessibility plan, progress report, and feedback process, as required by the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). The proposed regulations also establish a framework for administrative monetary penalties.

Canadians now have until 19 April 2021 to offer feedback on the proposed regulations. Information on how to provide feedback can be found in Canada Gazette, Part I.

If you have any questions, please reach out to accessible-canada@hrsdc.gc.ca.

Help us improve My VAC Account

You are invited to participate in a short survey to let us know how we can improve My VAC Account and its features. For this study, we are collecting feedback from My VAC Account users to better understand how they use the platform and what other business they would like to do online.

Your input is important to us. Thank you for helping us improve My VAC Account.

https://phoenixspi.qfimr.com/MyVACAccount-MonDossierACC

Transitioning to life after service

The road to life after service can be challenging. We are working with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to make the transition experience as seamless and stress-free as possible.

Together, we have been exploring a new approach to transition focused on the individual needs of members and their families. A trial started at CFB Borden in February 2019, expanded to CFB Petawawa on 17 February 2021, and it will continue to roll out across the country over the next few years.

As part of this new approach, each member has direct access to a transition advisor who can help you create a transition plan that suits your needs and goals.

If you’re not in Borden or Petawawa, there are still many programs and services available such as the Education and Training Benefit and Career Transition Services.

Your drive, courage, and determination are what brought you success in the CAF. The transition trial and our career, education, and financial programs are options to help you in life after service.

Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund recipients to be announced soon

Over the past two years, the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund has provided organizations with funding to support initiatives and research in areas like Veteran homelessness, mental health, and the transition to life after service. The most recent call for applications closed last month and we will soon announce the latest projects and organizations to receive funding.

Shaping Purpose received support from the fund in 2018. Veteran Owen Parkhouse says Shaping Purpose helped him and his family set personal, post-retirement goals and make a realistic plan to achieve them. Read more about Owen and other success stories on our website.

Help us reach more Veterans and families

If you have served in the Canadian Armed Forces or RCMP, you may qualify for VAC programs or services that can support your financial, educational or family’s well-being.

We will be promoting some of our services throughout March using advertising in the media and online.

Please help us reach as many people as possible by sharing information with your networks. Our goal is to ensure all Veterans and their families know that services and supports are available.

Sexual harassment at CAF-DND

If you experienced sexual harassment, sexual assault, gender or LGBTQ2+ discrimination in a CAF-DND workplace, you may make a confidential claim for financial compensation and participate in a restorative engagement program.

Learn more: caf-dndsexualmisconductclassaction.ca