By Leah Woolley

This year's Women in Defence awards initiative by Esprit de Corps was the biggest yet, culminating in an award ceremony and cocktail reception attended by dignitaries and family members alike. The evening event included speeches from Governor General Julie Payette and Chief of Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance. A highlight of the night was a heartfelt toast to the winners, given by Maj (Ret'd) Sandra Perron, the first female infantry officer in the Canadian Military.

We are proud to present video footage of both speeches, as well as a video tribute to all the award recipients.

Governor Gen. Julie Payette delivers a speech to the 2018 winners of Esprit de Corps Women In Defence awards. The annual award ceremony and celebrating cocktail reception were held in Ottawa's city hall on April 9, 2018.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance delivers a speech. Regrettably, the French portion of the CDS speech is unavailable due to a technical issue. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Maj (ret'd) Sandra Perron toasts the 2018 winners of Esprit de Corps Women in Defence awards. The annual award ceremony and celebratory cocktail reception were held in Ottawa's City Hall on April 9, 2018