July 16, 2026
Virtual (MS Teams)
The following list outlines those present during the meeting.
Women Veterans Council members
- Corporal (Retired) Sarah Lefurgey, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Corporal Ellen Peters, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Constable (Retired) Jennifer Chorney, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Warrant Officer (Retired) Celine Filion, Canadian Armed Forces
- Colonel (Retired) Telah Morrison, OMM, CD, Canadian Armed Forces
- Lieutenant-Colonel Dawn Leblanc, CD, Canadian Armed Forces
Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
- Dana Shami, Policy Advisor, Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)
- Nancy Gardiner, Deputy Minister, Veterans Affairs Canada
- Mitch Freeman, A/Assistant Deputy Minister, Commemorations and Public Affairs
- Jeff Gallant, A/Director General, Community Engagement
- Tabitha Stubbs, Director General, Veteran Service and Branch Management
- Peggy Nash Butt, Manager, Women and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans Engagement Team
- Kim Bethke, Initiatives Manager, Women Veterans Projects, Women and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans Engagement Team
Land acknowledgement
The Deputy Minister welcomed the Women Veterans Council members and delivered a land acknowledgment.
Women Veterans Council governance and reporting
The Deputy Minister requested Council’s feedback and ratification on updated Council documents by July 31, 2026. The Deputy Minister acknowledged the continued collaborative work of the Council , and celebrated the progress made.
Her Story, Her Strength: 2026 Women Veterans Forum recap
The group discussed the 2026 Women Veterans Forum. The Department shared that feedback was positive, met objectives, and highlighted opportunities for improvement.
Employment roundtable
The Deputy Minister introduced the Director General of Veterans Service and Branch Management, who provided an update on ongoing efforts supporting the National Veteran Employment Strategy and provided updates from recent employer and sector roundtables. The Council was invited to participate in an upcoming roundtable to share their experiences. The Deputy Minister facilitated a discussion with the Council. After the discussion, the Council advised on areas where sex-and-gender consideration of CAF and RCMP Veterans’ needs may improve employment outcomes for women.
Women Veterans Council work plan – fall/winter 2026
The Deputy Minister requested the Council’s advice and input on a proposed Council workplan to direct consultations over the coming term. The Council shared an interest in the further development of clear, actionable work items.
Concluding remarks
The Deputy Minister thanked members for their continued commitment to providing advice and recommendations to the Minister. The Chair thanked the Council members for their continued engagement and valuable input. The meeting was adjourned.