Our heartfelt congratulations to Captains (Ret’d) Mary Ann Barber, Anne Richards, France Bergeron, and Colonel Carolyn Blanchard whose service and sacrifices were honoured with beautiful Quilts of Valour™ in January, April, May, and June 2026, respectively.

From the Quilt of Valour™ website: A Quilt of Valour™ is a hug from a grateful nation and a tribute to an injured Canadian Armed Forces member, past or present. Although most of us will never know the soldier who will receive our quilt, imagine what it would be like for you if you did know the soldier. What if that soldier was your spouse, your brother/sister, your friend or your child?

On June 26th, we had the immense pleasure of hosting a birthday celebration for the remarkable Nursing Sister Ida Crocker at Perley Health, just ahead of her 105th birthday on June 29th. It was truly a wonderful day—Ida was joyful, animated, and full of light-hearted conversation. The room was filled with laughter and admiration as she captivated everyone with her incredible stories from her military service and rich life experiences.

We were honoured to welcome Ida’s daughters, Barbara and Margaret, who traveled from British Columbia and Kenora, Ontario, respectively. They arrived early for their family celebrations and graciously accepted our invitation to join us. It was heartwarming to have them present and to see them witness the deep affection and respect we all hold for their mother.

We were especially delighted to be joined by the Surgeon General, Major-General Scott Malcolm, CMM, MSC, CD, who took time from his busy schedule to be with us. He charmed Ida with his warm, engaging conversation and presented her with his Surgeon General’s coin, as well as birthday certificates from King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and from Her Excellency the Governor General, Mary Simon, thoughtfully arranged in advance by her daughters.

Also in attendance were Royal Canadian Medical Service Association President Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret’d) Dave Borthwick, and longtime friends and NSAC members Beth Davis and Gail Harrod. Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret’d) Shelley Gosselin made one of Ida’s favourite treats—a delicious lavender cake—which was thoroughly enjoyed by all!

Most of our Executive members were on hand as well, contributing to the festive atmosphere with beautiful decorations, decadent chocolate-dipped strawberries, some bubbly, and refreshments kindly provided by Perley catering. The event was full of joy, laughter, and heartfelt camaraderie—an unforgettable celebration among military friends that Ida clearly cherished.
She was especially touched by the big, beautiful birthday card signed by many of you at our May luncheon, the lovely basket of treats, and Shelley’s fragrant bouquet of flowers freshly picked from her garden that morning.

Royal Canadian Navy Monument, Richmond Island, Ottawa

Colonel (Ret’d) Gisèle Fontaine, President MNAC-OU joined other dignitaries including Rear-Admiral (Ret’d), The Honourable Rebecca Patterson, OMM, MSM, CD, Senator; Marie-France Lalonde, MP; Major-General Scott Malcolm, CMM, MSC, CD, Canadian Armed Forces Surgeon-General; Colonel Carolyn Blanchard, CD, Canadian Armed Forces Chief Nursing Officer; and more in a solemn remembrance ceremony to commemorate the 108th Anniversary of the Sinking of HMHS Llandovery Castle, the deadliest Canadian naval disaster of the First World War.

On June 27, 1918, HMHS Llandovery Castle was sailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Liverpool, England, when it was torpedoed off southern Ireland by German submarine SM U-86. Of the 258 souls on board, 234 were lost. Only 24 survived. Nursing Sister Rena Maude MacLean, a featured nurse on our site, was one of the 14 nursing sisters who died that night.

The MNAC-OU 2026 AGM and May Luncheon held on 29 May 2026 was a wonderful celebration of connection, shared stories and cheerful company! Here are some of the highlights:

Significant Milestones Achieved:

• The announcement of our new motto “Duty, Honour, Compassion”; thank you to Captain (Ret’d) Nicole Lachance for this meaningful contribution
• The unveiling of our updated crest representing our new name, but keeping the heritage of the original Nursing Sisters Association of Canada crest
• The launch of this new MNAC Website!

Chief Nursing Officer Update. Canadian Armed Forces CNO, Colonel Carolyn Blanchard, gave an informative presentation on changes to the Nursing Officer Occupation. It was very positive and encouraging to see them make so much headway with the number of leadership positions, the advancement of the Nurse Practitioner specialty, and so many other hard fought battles. Congratulations to Colonel Blanchard and her team on these significant and well-earned advancements!

New MOU with the Canadian Nurses Foundation. With this new MOU, ratified this past April, we have updated our instructions to the CNF. Main changes include:

• Granting the scholarship award on an annual vs bi-annual basis
• The award is for former and currently serving Military Nurses or a family member
• We specified the scholarship is for Masters or Doctorate nursing studies
• An interest earned annually from the Fund will first support a $3,000 scholarship
• Any additional interest earned will support funding for Canadian Nurses Association Certification courses

Thank you to the Executive for their exceptional efforts and to everyone who attended and helped make the day a success! A special thank you to Major (Ret’d) Linda Jackson who not only was in charge of the luncheon as Social Convenor, but also volunteered to act as Secretary for the AGM in Sheila Newland’s absence. Much appreciated!

We look forward to our next gathering in November. Watch for details.

Lieutenant (Ret’d) Jill Ellwood and Major (Ret’d) Linda Jackson, CD, attended the First Poppy Ceremony at Rideau Hall on 16 October 2025. They had the honour of speaking with the Governor General and Commander-In-Chief for Canada, Her Excellency, The Right Honourable Mary Simon, CC, CMM, COM, OQ, CD.

On Monday, 10 July 2025, a small ceremony was held at Perley Health in Otttawa to commemorate the naming of a street in honour of 101-year-old Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret’d) Jessie Chenevert. First serving as a Nursing Sister during the Korean War, Jessie remained in the Canadian Armed Forces after the war and retired at the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in command of the Nursing cadre at the National Defence Medical Centre in Ottawa. Ottawa City Council approved the street name – Promenade Jessie Chenevert Walk – and an honorary sing was presented by Councillors Steve Desroches and Marty Car in a ceremony at City Hall.

Royal Canadian Navy Monument, Richmond Island, Ottawa

Brigadier-General (Ret’d) Roger Scott, OMM, CD, represented MNAC in a solemn remembrance ceremony to commemorate the 107th Aniversary of the sinking of the HMHS Llandovery Castle, the deadliest naval disaster of the First World War.On June 27, 1918, HMHS Llandovery Castle was sailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Liverpool, England, when it was torpedoed off southern Ireland by German submarine SM U-86. Of the 258 souls on board, 234 were lost. Only 24 survived. Nursing Sister Rena Maude MacLean, a featured nurse on our site, was one of the 14 nursing sisters who died that night.

Dignitaries included Mr. Stéphane Ouellette, President & CEO, MNCTP; Mr. Claude Aubin, Senator, Métis Nation Québec; Col Carolyn Blanchard, CD, Chief of Nursing Services; MGen Scott Malcolm, CMM, MSC, CD, Surgeon General; BGen Colleen Forestier, OMM, MSC, CD, Director General Clinical Services; CWO Yann Gauthier, MMM, CD, Royal Canadian Medical Service Chief Warrant Officer; LCol (Ret’d) David G. Borthwick, CD, President, Royal Canadian Medical Service Association; WO Karine Rousselle, CD; and Rev. Dr. Brian Graham, MTh, DDiv, Principal Chaplain, Allied Merchant Navy.

Members gathered on 29 May 25 at the Algonquin College Restaurant International for their AGM and the105th Anniversary of the NSAC, an impressive milestone. There were 40 persons in attendance. Members voted to adopt a new name “Military Nurses Association – Ottawa Unit”, along with a new Constitution & By Laws, both taking effect 1 Jul 25. A truly historical day!

Bonjour à tous, good day everyone!

Once again, a heartfelt congratulations to LCol (Ret’d) Shelley Gosselin for a very successful and impressive 10-year as President of the NSAC – Ottawa Unit. We owe a debt of gratitude to Shelley for all the positive changes made during her tenure and for leading with grace and compassion.  Her level of personal engagement was truly extraordinary, setting the bar high for any successor coming in after her. 

It is an immense pleasure and honour for me to follow in her footsteps and become President of this prestigious Association, and build on her important legacy. I have given some thought as to the direction I would like to take with the Association, and have identified some initial Lines of Efforts to use as a guide.

LINES OF EFFORT

Advocacy. Champion the interest of our members and raise the profile and awareness of the Association.

Comfort and Friendship.  Bring comfort, care and friendship to those going through hardship, health problems or isolation.

Connection. Foster connections by increasing our membership and luncheon attendance, allowing more nurses to reconnect, rekindle friendships and support each other. 

Communication. Inform members of our activities and of Veteran-related events, policies, resources, and services available to them, as well as explore various communication tools to improve our reach.

Partnership. Explore opportunities for partnerships with other Veteran organizations and other agencies that would benefit the NSAC and our members.

Remembrance. Champion our military nursing history and remember those before us, recognizing sacrifices and celebrating the extraordinary.  

I look forward to hearing your perspectives and ideas on the way forward. 

RECENT EVENTS

At the risk of repeating some info that was provided in Shelley’s Farewell email, here is a brief summary of the events that took place in the last two weeks, with pictures included below.

2024 Veteran Recipient of the City of Ottawa Street Naming Ceremony

On 6 Nov, Maj (Ret’d) Glenys Elliott, Capt (Ret’d) Nicole Lachance and I had the privilege of attending this special ceremony held at City Hall honouring the late LCol (Ret’d) Jessie Chenevert, a Korean War Veterran being recognized as a trailblazer for women and nurses in the Forces.  Jessie’s street or more accurately her “Walk” will be located in Riverside South. We couldn’t be more pleased and proud of her.

Remembrance Day Luncheon and Farewell to our President 

We gathered once again at the Algonquin College Restaurant International on 7 Nov to commemorate Remembrance Day and pay tribute to Nursing Sisters/ Officers for their service, courage and sacrifice. 

As you know this luncheon was also our opportunity to celebrate retired LCol Gosselin and thank her for her outstanding leadership and dedication. I agree that the luncheon was a success, with enough time for a talk on Estate Planning, pause for commemoration, enjoying excellent food and conversation, getting an update on the Association, thanking our Outgoing Social Convenor Capt (Re’t) Diane Saxberg and welcoming her successor Linda Jackson, thanking our Outgoing President with special messages and gifts, and lastly the change in leadership. A very ambitious schedule of events, but we got through it! It was a team effort with the Exec Cttee working hard in preparation for this event and helping it run smoothly – thank you team!!! And it was so good to see everyone again!

The highlight for me was Shelley’s very inspiring and heartfelt speech at the end of the luncheon; I encourage you to watch her video if you can, it is a good reminder of why the Association was established and why it has stood the test of time, of wars, and even a pandemic. I have enclosed some of the messages that Shelley received that were read at the Farewell.

Remembrance Day – NSAC Wreath Laying

It was an honour for me to lay the Nursing Sisters’ Association of Canada wreath at the National War Memorial, paying tribute to all the nurses that have served and sacrificed so much for our nation. Thank you all for your service and dedication to Canada! 

Lest We Forget – Souvenons-nous 

Capt Kathleen Nguyen made us all very proud as this year’s Nursing Officer Sentry, selected and honoured for her dedication, professionalism and performance in service to Canada.  

REMINDERS

For those that aren’t aware, there is a Canadian Forces Nursing Officer Facebook page that you can join to stay informed about what is happening within the Nursing Occupation in the CAF.  The NSAC Ottawa Unit (and other Units across Canada) use this Fb page on occasion to post about our events, or sadly, the passing of a military nurse. 

Please let us know of any member that might be going through hardship or is housebound and would benefit from our support.

We would love to see more nurses who wore or currently wear the uniform join our group, so please talk about us to others and let us know who might be interested, we will happily help them register with us.

If you know anyone that has the skills to create and maintain a web page, please refer them to me, I would love to have a chat!

Thank you for your continued membership, I look forward to working with you to promote and champion the NSAC, and to spending some memorable times together!

Warmest regards, à la prochaine!

Gisèle

Gisèle Fontaine MSC, CD, RN, CHE

Colonel (Retraitée / Retired) 
Présidente / President 
Association des infirmières et infirmiers militaires du Canada – Filiale Ottawa
Nursing Sisters’ Association of Canada -Ottawa Unit