May Speaker's Evening
A conversation with the Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Defence
Our guest speaker for May is Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Karen McCrimmon, OMM, CD, MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Defence.
In an informal discussion, and with a focus on leadership and her experience in the CAF as well as her role as Committee Chair, Karen McCrimmon will share her perspective on a wide range of topics, including what the Committee is doing to ensure that both DND and the CAF are prepared to adapt to a rapidly changing threat environment, and how it is monitoring the introduction of new capabilities as defined in government policy. She will also address how access to mental health services for members of the CAF can be enhanced, streamlined and facilitated to ensure that services are appropriate to the needs, and the impact of sexual misconduct on operational effectiveness.
LCol (retired) Karen McCrimmon, OMM, CD, MP
Awarded the Order of Military Merit in the Grade of Officer, the first woman to qualify as an Air Navigator and the first woman to command an Air Force Squadron (429) in Canada, the career of Karen McCrimmon serves as an inspiring example of hard work, courageous leadership and dedication to her country. She completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan and served as Senior Staff Officer at NATO Air Headquarters in Germany. After a military career spanning 31 years, Karen McCrimmon continues her dedication to Canada, serving as the Member of Parliament for Kanata-Carleton since 2015, and Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Defence, President of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association and Vice- President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. The experiences, insights and lessons learned of this trailblazer will be most interesting.
