Leading Seaman Justine Boivin (left) and Leading Seaman Alexy Thibault pose for a photo onboard Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) KINGSTON before departing Lagos, Nigeria on March 11, 2018 during Operation PROJECTION.
Photo: Sgt Shilo Adamson, Canadian Forces Recruiting Group Headquarters, CFB Borden RG2018-0016-02
By Military Woman
Question:
What’s new for military women this International Women’s Day 2025?
Answer:
International Women’s Day (IWD) comes around every March 8, like clockwork. But let’s be honest––these events often feel like just another government checkbox exercise. A quick salute to military women’s achievements, while their real, unresolved issues stay sidelined. So, what’s different in 2025?
This year, there’s a growing push to ensure defence-related IWD events go beyond photo ops and scripted speeches. The newly formed Women Veterans Council has the potential to reshape future IWD initiatives, including the Women Veterans Forum, by shifting the focus to meaningful, Veteran-centric discussions.
The ultimate goal? How about laying the groundwork for a standalone Women Veterans Day—separate from IWD––to address the systemic gaps that IWD celebrations often overlook?
The 2025 Women Veterans Forum: Progress, But Not Enough
The 4th Annual Women Veterans Forum, held in Ottawa on March 6-7, aimed to honour women during IWD week. It was a commendable effort, but let’s be real––commemoration-focused events rarely capture or address the actual unmet needs of women Veterans.
Women Veterans are not a one-size-fits-all community. Yes, many are thriving. But others? They’re barely surviving.
Some battle PTSD, only to have their symptoms dismissed as “stress” or “anxiety” or, worse, misdiagnosed as a personality disorder by providers unfamiliar with military trauma. Others, including Indigenous women, women of colour, trans women, LGBT Purge survivors, and those with visible or invisible disabilities, face additional barriers that celebratory events will often fail to acknowledge, let alone address.
This year’s invitation-only Forum was another barrier. With just 75 in-person seats–out of a community of almost 100,000 women Veterans––virtual access was critical. Yet for many, getting access to the Forum, whether in person or online, felt as exclusive as a backstage pass to meet Prince Harry at the Invictus Games.
Put simply: More women Veterans wanted to attend the Forum than were given the chance.
If “Leaving No Veterans Behind” is more than just a slogan, it’s time to rethink how the Forum operates. The new Women Veterans Council has a real opportunity here. Setting clear, measurable objectives could help ensure the Forum drives meaningly improvements in care and support––especially for those still struggling.
One fix? Rotate Forum oversight among CAF, RCMP, and VAC to ensure broader input and transparency.
A Big Idea: Women Veterans Day
IWD matters––but it’s about celebration. And celebration isn’t the best time for tackling serious issues. Women Veterans need more than a stack of Ministerial Commendations. They need a dedicated space to push for real, systemic change.
Here’s a game-changing idea for 2025: Keep IWD for celebrating military women’s achievements––but create a standalone Women Veterans Day.
A strong contender for the date? June 12—the day Parliament officially accepted the 2024 “Invisible No More” report on the experiences of Canadian women Veterans.
Women Veterans Day wouldn’t just be symbolic––it could be a day of advocacy, accountability and direct engagement with Parliament. The mission? Ensure the equitable access to research, programs, services, and benefits for all Veterans, women included.
To the Military Men Reading This
Before you ask—yes, there’s an International Men’s Day (Google it, or check out Esprit de Corps Magazine, Vol. 26, Issue 2).
And no––these “women’s issues” aren’t about taking anything away from men. These issues are actually about improving our shared Veteran community.
Your sisters-in-arms took the same risks, faced the same challenges, and carry many of the same injuries and illnesses as you––plus some extra ones that you might not see.
Women Veterans are your peers, daughters, wives, mothers, and grandmothers. Women Veterans are not asking for special treatment––just a fair shot.
Like you, women Veterans want smarter recruitment policies, stronger retention strategies, peak operational military effectiveness, and smoother post-service transitions—for everyone. Women Veterans aren’t asking for favours––just for the government to stop assuming all Veterans are men and to eliminate the systemic barriers still holding them back.
Final Thoughts
International Women’s Day is a start—but it can’t be the end of the conversation.
Real change starts by no longer treating women Veterans as an afterthought. That means rethinking the Women Veterans Forum, pushing for a Women Veterans Day, and ensuring no Veteran—regardless of their sex or gender—is left behind.
Decision-makers: Are you listening?
