The Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families welcomes new Minister of Veterans Affairs

OTTAWA, ON — July 26, 2023 — The Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families welcomes the appointment of Ginette Petitpas-Taylor to the role of Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, as part of the new federal cabinet.

“We would like to congratulate Minister Petitpas-Taylor on her appointment,” Fardous Hosseiny, President and CEO of the Atlas Institute said. “Minister Petitpas-Taylor brings a wealth of relevant experience to this portfolio, both from her time in government as the Minister of Health and her role on the NATO Parliamentary Association, as well as her pre-political experiences as a civilian with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and within the mental health sector.”

“We are looking forward to this opportunity to build on the supportive relationship we have established with Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) and the ministry in advancing the work of supporting our Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and RCMP Veterans and their Families,” Hosseiny added.

Recognizing the contributions of outgoing Minister Lawrence MacAulay, Hosseiny thanked Minister MacAulay and his team for their support of the Atlas Institute through its formative years. “As a relatively new organization, the support from Minister MacAulay and his team contributed to our ability to quickly mobilize, particularly during a global pandemic, and establish Atlas as a highly connected national organization, leading innovative research and producing and curating trusted information and resources regarding mental health and well-being for Veterans, Families and mental health service providers. We wish him and the team well as they transition to a new portfolio.”

Brian McKenna, National Strategic Advisor for Veterans, and Laryssa Lamrock, National Strategic Advisor for Veteran Families, who both sit on the Minister’s advisory groups, echoed their thanks to Minister MacAulay, while welcoming the opportunity with the new Minister to continue to inform and shape the landscape of supports for those who have served and for their loved ones.

“We have seen an increased focus on the needs of Veterans and Families in Canada and opportunities to engage in collaborative solutions by working in tandem with partners at every level,” McKenna said. “There is a solid foundation that has been built in the efforts to improve the landscape for services in support of those who have served, and we look forward to furthering this work. So we welcome Minister Petitpas-Taylor and the continued focus on the community.”

Lamrock identified that Veteran Families have distinct needs and experiences and so have been an area of interest and focus in their own right. As such, she too looks forward to collaborating to build on the work already in progress to raise awareness of Veteran Families’ needs and identify ways to benefit the Family as a whole through collaboration and a common vision.

Hosseiny added: “Given Minister Petitpas-Taylor’s well-known passion for community, we welcome her leadership to as we work together to support the well-being of the more than 600,000 Canadians who have served their country tirelessly and the Families who have served alongside them.”

For more information, contact: media-atlas@theroyal.ca