Question:
What did the Honourable Jill McKnight, Canada’s newly appointed Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, do in honour of the first anniversary of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs (ACVA) report, “Invisible No More. The Experiences of Canadian Women Veterans”?
Answer:
On June 12, 2025, the first anniversary of the 2024 tabling of the report’s 40+ recommendations to improve the lives of military and RCMP women, the Minister met with a group of frontline Veteran advocates to better understand the importance of this ongoing work.
A Grassroots Push for Visibility
Christine Wood, a longtime military sexual trauma advocate and External Advisory Council member for the Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC), rallied nearly a dozen frontline Veteran advocates on short notice via social media to attend Parliament in honour of the anniversary. Although this group was smaller than the over 50 people who had attended the report’s 2024 tabling, the attendance was still remarkable given the short-notice of the request.
The Veterans present believed it was critical for women Veterans to be ‘invisible no more’ within the House of Commons. The advocates hoped their physical presence in Parliament that day served as a powerful reminder to MPs of the importance of continuing the work started on their all-party approved report.
Building Momentum
Before meeting the Minister, the Veterans spoke with several MPs, including Sean Casey, Marie-France Lalonde, Tatiana Auguste and Ginette Petitpas Taylor. The advocates then moved up to the Parliament’s galleries to watch firsthand as MPs Anita Vandenbeld and Cathay Wagantall delivered private members’ statements (short speeches) in support of honouring the June 12 anniversary date.
A Candid Exchange
After the daily parliamentary session was completed, Minister McKnight met with the advocates for a 30-minute, candid discussion. The Veterans offered raw, unfiltered accounts of the ongoing struggles they continue to face. For Minister McKnight, it was an opportunity to ground her understanding of why some women Veteran issues still require urgent change and reform.
Key Challenges Raised
The group representing diverse service eras, environments, and ranks, highlighted several serious service-related challenges that are more prevalent or unique among women Veterans. They spoke of inadequate access to tailored-care for physical, psychological, and spiritual injuries, especially when compounded by the trauma experienced during and after service-related sexual misconduct.
They also described a sense of institutional betrayal that too often leads to moral injury, broken trust, social isolation, and a cascade of health, financial, and housing-related challenges—including homelessness.
The Veteran advocates also noted that many of their service-related physical injuries could have been prevented with training and equipment properly designed for women. Musculoskeletal injuries remain the leading cause of medical release for Canada’s military women.
New Defence Funding
With additional defence funding on the horizon, the advocates urged that the lessons from the “Invisible No More” report be integrated into sex- and gender-based analysis for all new uniforms, equipment, major defence purchases, and personnel-related research, support, and policy updates.
The women Veterans urge the Minister to share their concerns and recommendations with MPs David McGuinty, Sherry Romanado, Steven Fuhr, and Jenna Sudds—key figures expected to shape defence procurement and personnel policy in the next Parliament.
The report recommendations, if implemented appropriately, should bolster military recruitment, readiness, and retention by identifying ways to prevent avoidable harm from being passed on to the next generation of military and RCMP women.
A Powerful Moment
One observer described this particular meeting as “the most powerful exchange with a Minister” they had ever seen. The advocates presented themselves as “canaries in the coal mine”, helping to identify remaining gaps and flaws within the present Veteran support system. The advocates stressed their support for the priority focus of the rebuilding of Canada’s military, but especially for its people.
Moving From Meetings to Action
Minister McKnight’s willingness to meet with frontline advocates was seen by many as a positive step, but the real test will be the number of report recommendations implemented by next year.
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO? Read the “Invisible No More” report – it offers a roadmap for systemic change. Urge your MP to act on the report. Plan to show your own support on Parliament Hill for June 12, 2026, the second anniversary of the report. Together, we can ensure women Veterans are truly #InvisibleNoMore.
