Applications open for the first Women Veterans Council
The council will address inequities and barriers experienced by women serving members and Veterans
OTTAWA, ON, June 10, 2024 /CNW/ - Throughout history, Canadian women have made significant contributions to our country, including overcoming obstacles to serve in various roles in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). It is essential that we hear directly from women Veterans and those serving to improve benefits, programs and services for women Veterans.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs Canada and Associate Minister of National Defence announced that applications are now open for the Government of Canada's first Women Veterans Council. All serving members or Veterans of the CAF and RCMP are invited to apply. The Council will consist of women from diverse ranks, backgrounds, perspectives and lived experiences to ensure that a range of voices are represented at the table.
The creation of the Council was first announced at the 2024 Women Veterans Forum in Montreal. This initiative came as a direct result of feedback received from Women Veterans and stakeholders, expressing the need for VAC to provide a platform for sustained, active engagement.
The Council will continue conversations started at the Forum on issues impacting Veterans, including women-focused research, service after service, women's health, homelessness and recognition. Their lived experiences will advance equity for future generations of women Veterans.
The Women Veterans Council will report to the Minister of Veterans Affairs Canada and Associate Minister of National Defence, providing insight on specific initiatives and priority areas from their unique points of view and lived experiences on all matters of importance to women. This collaborative working relationship with VAC will help to address inequities and barriers experienced by women.
"The new Women Veterans Council will play a invaluable role in ensuring that women Veterans are better reflected in our work to serve them. The voices and lived experiences of Council members will help shape the way we care for and support women Veterans for years to come. I encourage both serving members and Veterans to apply to the council, as together we will create a more equitable future."
The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
"The establishment of the new Women Veterans Council will provide a welcomed opportunity to hear and uplift the voices of women Veterans and serving members. This platform is an important and necessary step forward to better understand, and therefore better serve, the women Veteran community.
The Honourable Rebecca Patterson, Senator
- The inaugural Women Veterans Forum was held in May 2019 and was the first of its kind in Canada.
- With nearly one in six Veterans being women (16.2%) and the women Veteran population continuing to grow, Veterans Affairs Canada remains committed to working to support women Veterans by collaborating with researchers, partner organizations and women Veterans directly.
- A new dedicated inbox allows Veterans Affairs Canada and stakeholders to exchange information in the field of women Veterans' health.
SOURCE Veterans Affairs Canada - Ottawa
Contacts: Media Relations: Veterans Affairs Canada, 613-992-7468, [email protected]; Isabelle Arseneau, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs, [email protected]
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