Women Veterans Council Membership Drops Sharply
- Five of the 12 members of the Women Veterans Council have resigned, after being appointed to advise Ottawa on implementing a landmark report about female soldiers' experiences.
- The retired Canadian Armed Forces members submitted thier resignations following a meeting earlier this month with Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight.
- Retired sergeant jessica Miller said the meeting led some council members to beleive the minister wasn't interested in addressing how the Department of Veterans Affairs fails to adequately...
Five of the 12 members of the Women Veterans Council have resigned, after being appointed to advise Ottawa on implementing a landmark report about female soldiers’ experiences.
The retired Canadian Armed Forces members submitted thier resignations following a meeting earlier this month with Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight.
Retired sergeant jessica Miller said the meeting led some council members to beleive the minister wasn’t interested in addressing how the Department of Veterans Affairs fails to adequately address the unique needs of female soldiers.These needs include trauma from sexual assault and the impact of combat gear on women’s bodies.
Miller stated the government reduced funding for research into female veterans’ health, denied the advisory council a budget, delayed providing clear direction, and hindered the council’s ability to consult with other female veterans.
“We were just gaslit and we don’t know why,” Miller said.
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The council’s creation was one of 42 recommendations from the 2024 “Invisible No More” report by the House of Commons’ veterans affairs committee. The study, the committee’s largest and first focused solely on female veterans, examined their experiences.