Immediately following the issuing of the Arbour Report, the RMC Alumni Association formed an internal “response team” composed of staff and board directors, which monitors the public communications environment and coordinates communications plans and activities.
As you will be aware, RMC Alumni Association issued an initial statement in response to the Arbour Report in June 2022, and since then has provided a series of updates in February 2023, July 2023, August 2023, and October 2023 and November 2023. Each of these updates followed developments in the actions or statements taken by the Minister of National Defence, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.
Recognizing that the Minister is likely to appoint the Canadian Military Colleges Review Board (CMC RB) imminently, and that the demands of professionally producing a comprehensive, evidence-based submission to the CMC Review Board exceeds our capacity, the RMC Alumni Association has engaged Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to assist the Board in developing its submission to the Government’s CMC Review Board. The submission will focus on recommendations 28 and 29 of the Arbour Report and will look more broadly at this historic opportunity to strategically renew the CMCs. The RMC Alumni Association Board has empaneled a Steering Committee to guide this work. Led by Board Director 18021 Michèle Mullen (RRMC Class of 1991), the Steering Committee consists of:
- Dr. Alice Aiken, VP Research and Innovation, Dalhousie University. Dr. Aitken is a co-founder and the former Scientific Director of the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, a unique consortium of over 41 Canadian and 7 international universities dedicated to researching the health needs of military personnel, Veterans, and their families. She served 14 years in the CAF, including service on the military staff at RMC. She is currently the Honorary Captain(Navy) for Canadian Forces Health Services Atlantic.
- Dr. Wanda Costen, Dean Smith School of Business, Queen’s University. Dr. Costen earned a Ph.D. in sociology at Washington State University, an EMBA from Pepperdine University, and Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy. She has undertaken research in areas such as managing diversity, racial and gender inequality in organizations, women and leadership, and strategic human resources.
- The Honourable (Ret’d) Erin O’Toole, President & Managing Director ADIT NA (RMC ’95). Mr. O’Toole served as a Member of Parliament for 10 years, including service as Leader of the Official Opposition and as Minister of Veterans Affairs. He is a graduate of Dalhousie Law School and has worked as a corporate lawyer and in-house counsel. He is a graduate of RMC, and began his career as an Air Navigator, flying on Sea King helicopters in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
- The Honourable Rear-Admiral (Ret’d) Rebecca Patterson. A registered nurse by training, Senator Patterson enjoyed a rewarding career with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). As a provider and executive health leader, she worked in military healthcare delivery, education, training, and operational and strategic planning, both at home and on international deployments. On promotion to Flag (General) Officer, she was the first person with a military nursing background ever lead at that rank. She has lead in many different domains in CAF. From serving as the Defence Champion for Women, addressing sexual misconduct and leading culture change efforts in the CAF, to commanding Canada’s 14th health system, the Canadian Forces Health Service at the height of the COVID 19 pandemic, she has always been focused on creating healthy work environments and uplifting others. She has been a strong advocate to transform the culture, eliminate harmful behaviour, and re-establish public trust in the Canadian military.
- Dr. Nancy Taber, Professor and Program Director, Adult Education Brock University (RMC ’93). Dr. Nancy Taber is a professor in the Department of Educational Studies at Brock University. Her research explores the ways in which learning, gender, and militarism intersect in daily life, popular culture, museums, militaries, and educational institutions. She has a particular focus on women’s experiences in the Canadian Armed Forces as relates to organizational culture, official polices, education, and informal everyday practices, with respect to gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. She is a retired military officer who served as a Sea King helicopter air navigator. Dr. Taber is Co-Director of the Transforming Military Cultures (TMC) Research Network.
- Lieutenant-General (Ret’d) Christine Whitecross, Former Commandant of NATO Defense College. Lieutenant-General Whitecross has a Bachelor in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University and a Masters in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. She was appointed Commander of the Canadian Forces Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct, and assumed the duties as Commander, Military Personnel Command in June 2015. She was appointed the first Senior Mentor for the Athena Network of the Royal Military College of Canada.
- Eric Windeler, Founder Jack.org, Honourary Doctorate (LLD) Queen’s University. Eric started an initiative (The Jack Project) in partnership with Kids Help Phone and then Queen’s University, after losing his son Jack to suicide in March 2010. In 2013, Eric received the Champion of Mental Health award from CAMIMH and the QE Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 2015, Eric was honoured by Queen’s University, receiving an honorary degree (LLD) recognizing his work in the field of mental health. Eric works tirelessly to inspire mental health discussion and engagement, especially among young people.
The Steering Committee had its first meeting on Friday 13 October 2023. Multiple streams of evidence will inform the submission, including a survey (with over 1,400 completed to date) and focus groups with recent graduates and alumni. The preparation of the submission is estimated to take 10 weeks.