Women in the Forces
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Introduction
Today, women make up over 12% of the Canadian Forces. About 10,000 women are trained as operators, skilled technicians or leaders and are choosing to make a difference as part of a dynamic and exciting team.
The Canadian Forces has always valued the contribution women members have made to its missions. In the past, women held support roles such as nursing and clerical staff. Today, their role has expanded to include maintaining submarines, operating communications lines on the battlefield, and piloting fighter jets.
“I have a lot more confidence in myself; I know that if I put my mind to something, I could achieve it.” – Supply Technician Laura Hamelin
The Canadian Forces has taken great strides in safeguarding the equality of women. By adopting a “no exclusion policy,” it has become one of the only militaries in the world to remove all barriers to full and equal service for all its members. This means that women have the opportunity to work any job in the Canadian Forces.
On the Job
Every day, the desire to do something different, to take on new challenges, and to change the world brings women of all backgrounds to a career in the Canadian Forces. And we can promise a life like no other: opportunities for training, travel and advancement; a network of support; and the satisfaction that you are making a difference.
“I never could have imagined the path that this career would have brought me down – the exciting things that I’ve done – and I look back to 5 years ago, and I don’t even feel like I’m the same person.” Lieutenant (Navy) Michelle Muir
The Canadian Forces no barrier policy means that all career paths and all ranks are open to the women who join. Women in the Canadian Forces have built schools in Afghanistan, combated piracy off the coast of Africa, and evacuated victims of flooding in Manitoba.
In fact, the opportunities available to women in the Canadian Forces cannot be matched by other employers. Our paid education programs ensure that you have a solid foundation for whatever career you choose. You receive top-notch education and military training to ensure the optimum team working environment, no matter what the conditions.
“The whole crew needs to be on their game, and you really appreciate the training that you’ve done up to that point when you’re actually in the situation.” Capt. Diane Baldasaro
When you join the Canadian Forces you join a community. Being in the military presents interesting opportunities and unique challenges for a family that only other military families can truly understand. Through the network of Military Family Resource Centres and the Family Support Service, Canadian Forces members have access to programs and services that support you and your family.
“There is a lot of work and a lot of thought that goes into making sure that Canadian military families are taken care of and supported.” Capt. Brenda Tinsley.
Above it all, women in the Canadian Forces contribute everyday to improving the lives of others, whether at home providing aid during a natural disaster, or abroad. Women in the Canadian Forces make a difference, everyday.
“It was really stunning when I first arrived. There were no buildings, everything was rubble… It was amazing the transformation in 6 months… you looked around the city and you really felt like you had made a difference.” – Capt Rowena Williams
Milestones
Women in the Canadian Forces (CF) have been breaking down barriers for over 125 years. Whether it’s taking on new roles or reaching new heights, women in the Canadian Forces are up for the challenge.
“The thing that I love the most about my job is just how varied it is.”
Capt. Brenda Tinsley
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2011
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The Royal Canadian Navy marked two historic firsts when Commodore Jennifer Bennett was promoted: she became the first woman to reach the rank of Rear-Admiral, as well as the first woman to be appointed Chief Reserves and Cadets – the Canadian Forces’ highest Reserve Force position.
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2010
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Lieutenant-Colonel Susan Wigg, Director for Cadets, one of the initial women to enrol at Royal Military College in 1980, becomes its first female director of cadets.
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Lieutenant-Colonel Maryse Carmichael becomes the first female Commanding Officer of the Snowbirds.
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2009
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Commander Josée Kurtz is the first woman appointed to command a major warship – HMCS Halifax.
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2007
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Lieutenant-Colonel Tammy Harris becomes the first female Wing Commander (9 Wing Gander)
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Commodore Jennifer Bennett becomes the first woman appointed Commander of the Naval Reserve and is thus the first female naval officer to command a Formation.
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2006
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Brigadier-General Christine Whitecross becomes first female Joint Task Force Commander (Joint Task Force North).
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Captain Nicola Goddard, 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, was killed in action in Afghanistan
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2004
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Chief Petty Officer, 1st Class Jan Davis is appointed Coxswain of HMCS REGINA and is the first woman Coxswain of a major warship.
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2003
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Major Anne Reiffenstein is the first female to command a combat arms sub-unit. She is currently a Battery Commander at 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery at CFB Shilo.
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Lieutenant-Commander Marta Mulkins is the first woman to serve as a captain of a Canadian warship.
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Major Jennie Carignan of 5 Combat Engineer Regiment (5 CER) becomes the first female Deputy Commanding Officer of a combat arms unit.
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Leading Seaman Hayley John and Leading Seaman Marketa Semik are the first female non-commissioned member clearance divers.
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Master Seaman Colleen Beattie becomes the first individual qualified as a submariner, followed shortly by Master Seaman Carey Ann Stewart.
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The first and only all female Canadian Forces team completes the Nijmegan March in Holland carrying the same weight as male teams. They are: team leader Lieutenant Debbie Scott, second-in-command Captain Lucie Mauger, Lieutenant Jody Weathered, Corporal Elizabeth Mutch, Warrant Officer Nathalie Mercer, Warrant Officer Jackie Revell, Master Corporal Denise Robert, Corporal Melissa Cedilot, Corporal Danette Frasz, Lieutenant-Colonel Teresa McNutt, Lieutenant Donna Rogers and Corporal Anne MacDonald.
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2002
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Chief Warrant Officer Camille Tkacz is the first woman appointed to a Command Chief position as Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources - Military) Chief Warrant Officer.
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2001
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Captain Maryse Carmichael is the first female Snowbird pilot. The Snowbirds are the Air Force's aerobatic demonstration flying team.
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2000
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The Chief of the Maritime Staff announces that women can serve in submarines.
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Major Micky Colton becomes the first female pilot to complete 10,000 flying hours in a Hercules aircraft.
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Lieutenant Ruth-Ann Shamuhn of 5 Combat Engineer Regiment becomes the first female combat diver.
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1998
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Lieutenant-Colonel Karen McCrimmon is appointed Commander of 429 Transport Squadron in Trenton, Ontario.
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Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Holly Kisbee becomes the first woman Combat Chief of a major warship.
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1997
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Colonel Marcia Quinn assumes command of 41 Canadian Brigade Group.
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Colonel Patricia Samson is appointed Canadian Forces Provost Marshall; she is later promoted Brigadier-General.
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1996
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Lieutenant-Commander Wafa Dubbagh becomes the first Canadian Muslim woman to wear the hijab in the Canadian Forces.
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1995
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Chief Warrant Officer Linda Smith is the first woman to be named Wing Chief Warrant Officer in the Canadian Forces at 17 Wing Winnipeg.
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1994
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Major-General Wendy Clay becomes the first woman promoted to that rank.
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1993
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Lieutenant (Navy) Leanne Crowe is the first woman to qualify as a clearance diving officer and is subsequently the first woman to become Officer Commanding of the Experimental Diving Unit.
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1992
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Corporal Marlene Shillingford becomes the first woman selected to join the Air Force's aerobatic demonstration flying team, the Snowbirds, as a technician.
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1991
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HMCS NIPIGON becomes the first Canadian mixed-gender warship to participate in exercises with NATO's Standing Naval Forces Atlantic.
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Lieutenant Anne Reiffenstein (née Proctor), Lieutenant Holly Brown, and Captain Linda Shrum graduate from artillery training as the first female officers in the combat arms.
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1990
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The Minister's Advisory Board on Women in the Canadian Forces is established by the Minister of National Defence to monitor the progress of gender integration and employment equity in the Canadian Forces.
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1989
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Private Heather R. Erxleben becomes Canada's first female Regular Force infantry soldier.
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Captain (Navy) Lorraine Francis Orthlieb becomes the first woman promoted to the rank of Commodore.
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Major Dee Brasseur becomes the first woman fighter pilot of a CF-18 Hornet.
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1988
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The first female gunners in the Regular Force graduate from qualification 3 training and are posted to 5e Régiment d'artillerie légére (5 RALC) in Valcartier, Quebec, as part of the CREW trials.
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Private Shannon Wills wins the Queens Medal for Champion Shot of the Reserve Forces at the Connaught Ranges in Ottawa.
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1986-1988
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Following a discrimination complaint, Canadian Human Rights Tribunal orders the Canadian Forces to:
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1987
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Combat Related Employment of Women (CREW) trials are announced for selected army units and naval vessels. The Air Force announces that no further trials are required and all areas of Air Force employment, including fighter pilot, are open to women.
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Colonel Sheila A. Hellstrom becomes the first woman to be promoted to the rank of brigadier-general.
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1982
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The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is signed. It prohibits discrimination based on race, national/ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, and mental/physical disability.
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1981
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Second Lieutenant Inge Plug becomes the first female helicopter pilot.
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Lieutenant Karen McCrimmon becomes the Canadian Forces' first female air navigator.
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1979
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Military colleges open their doors to women.
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1979-1985
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Trials take place as part of the Servicewomen in Non-Traditional Environments and Roles (SWINTER) project.
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1978
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Corporal Gail Toupin becomes the first female member of the SkyHawks, the Army's skydiving demonstration team.
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1974
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Major Wendy Clay, a doctor, qualifies for her pilot's wings six years before the pilot classification is opened to all women.
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1970
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The Royal Commission on the Status of Women recommends changes necessary to provide a climate of equal opportunity for women in Canada, with six recommendations aimed specifically at the Canadian Forces:
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1965
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A government decision is made to continue to employ women in the Canadian military. A fixed ceiling of 1 500, to include women in all three services, is established. The limit represents roughly 1.5 per cent of the total force of the day.
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1950-1953
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Women are once again recruited for military service during the Korean War. More than 5 000 women are serving by 1955.
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1942
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Mary Greyeyes of the Muskeg Lake Indian Reserve becomes the first Aboriginal woman to enlist in the Canadian Army.
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1941
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The Canadian government decides to enrol more than 45 000 women volunteers for full-time military service other than nursing. All three services establish women's divisions and the range of duties broadens during the war from traditional trades—clerks, cooks, drivers, and telephone operators—to mechanics, parachute riggers, and heavy mobile equipment drivers.
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1939-1945
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Approximately 5 000 nurses serve in the Army, Navy, and Air Force Medical Corps during the Second World War. They serve overseas in hospitals, casualty stations near combat zones, mobile field hospitals and in many theatres of war. However, they are not permitted to serve in warships, combat aircraft, or combat arms units.
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1914-1918
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More than 2 800 women serve with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps between 1914 and 1918, with the majority serving overseas in hospitals, on board hospital ships, in several theatres of war, and in combat zones with field ambulance units.
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WWI sees the first organization of women in a military capacity other than nursing. Canadian women form paramilitary groups, outfit themselves in military-style uniforms, and undertake training in small arms, drill, first aid, and vehicle maintenance in case they are needed as home guards.
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1906
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Nurses are admitted to the Regular Force.
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1898-1902
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Nurses once again support the Canadian military with the Yukon Field Force in 1898 and the three Canadian contingents in the Boer War in South Africa.
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During the South African (Boer) War, they become a permanent part of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps.
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1901
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A permanent Canadian Nursing Service is created.
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1885
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Women serve as nurses for the first time in Canadian military history during the Northwest Rebellion.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What jobs are open to women?
The Canadian Forces has taken great strides since the 1970s to remove barriers for women to serve in the military. Every occupation in the Canadian Forces is open to women.
What opportunities for promotion and leadership are open to women?
Opportunities for promotion are available to any Canadian Forces member who demonstrates the required ability and determination in their field. All ranks are open to women members.
How many women serve in the Canadian Forces?
There are approximately 10,000 women serving in both the Regular and Reserve Forces. This total represents approximately 12% of the Canadian Forces.
Does the Canadian Forces have a harassment policy?
The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces are committed to providing a harassment-free workplace, one that promotes teamwork, mutual respect and fairness for all. Every member has the right to work in a healthy and safe environment, as well as the responsibility to shape that environment. CF members are held accountable for any failure to meet established standards of conduct and performance. Depending on the circumstances, the appropriate action may involve disciplinary or administrative action, or both.
Are the fitness standards and tests the same for women and men?
The Canadian Forces recognizes that because men’s and women’s physical strengths are different, they should be tested to different standards. However, the physical fitness test is challenging. Women are still required to perform shuttle-run stages, push-ups, and sit-ups, and demonstrate hand-grip strengths. Read more about Physical Fitness in the Canadian Forces.
What accommodation/housing is available?
Canadian Forces members can choose to live in military housing, on the base, or in the town or city where they work. There is military housing available for Canadian Forces members with families, but you may also choose to rent or buy a place in the local community.
Where would my family live?
Your family lives with you, either in military housing or off the base, during your regular work routine. However, while on training you will likely have to move to barracks during certain required training periods. Your family will also stay behind when you are on deployment.
Does the Canadian Forces provide childcare?
Child care facilities and emergency child care services are available through some local Military Family Resource Centres. The CF Family Resources Site also offers valuable information.
How do you stay in touch with family during deployments?
The Canadian Forces recognizes that being away from your family while on deployment can be difficult. So, we have ensured that there are ways to keep in touch with them while you’re away: email, video conferencing, phone calls.
How often are you posted/how often do you have to move?
Whether or not you are required to move is based on a number of factors: current operations, need for your skills, and military priorities. To help ease the relocation process, all necessary moving expenses will be paid for by the Canadian Forces.
What are the maternity benefits?
Canadian Forces members, like all working Canadians, are entitled to 17 weeks of maternity leave and 35 weeks of parental leave. They receive their benefits through the Government of Canada’s Employment Insurance program.
What family support is available?
Nothing is more important to the Canadian Forces than its members and their families. We have developed a number of programs and services to help with moving, with child care and deployments, among other things. For more information, click here: CF Family Resources.
Are there rules regarding hair, jewelry/earrings, makeup, tattoos?
At the beginning of basic training, all new recruits are provided with the official dress-standards for military members. Here is an overview:
- Women members are required to keep their hair short or long enough to keep tied back and not obstruct their vision while on duty.
- Women are allowed to wear earrings while on duty, but they must be small stud-style earrings. However, other visible body piercings are not allowed to be worn while in uniform.
- Wearing make-up while in uniform is allowed, but it is also expected to be applied conservatively.
- Non-offensive visible tattoos, with the exception of tattoos on the face, are allowed.
