Post by Ottawa Veterans Task Force (OVTF)

Yesterday, several members of the City of Ottawa's Veterans Task Force attended the inaugural Ottawa Board of Trade Defence Forum at the National Arts Centre | Centre national des Arts, joining leaders from government, industry, academia, and the military to explore the future of Canada’s defence sector. The day featured opening remarks from Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Ottawa Board of Trade President and CEO Sueling Ching, a fireside chat with the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, and a compelling presentation by Sonya Shorey of Invest Ottawa about Ottawa’s defence strategy and innovation ecosystem. LGen Darcy Molstad, CD, ICD.D, Commander of the recently formed Canadian Joint Forces Command, spoke about its purpose: to manage and coordinate joint military capabilities across all domains, including land, sea, air, cyber, and space. Unlike the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force, which manage their respective environmental capabilities, CJFC focuses on joint capabilities that span multiple branches, ensuring operational readiness and strategic flexibility. We were delighted to see fellow OVTF member Alan Mulawyshyn as the OBOT Charitable Feature, representing our community partner Veterans' House Canada. There are important points of connection for us in the Defence sector. Veterans, serving members, employers, educators, innovators, community organizations, and public institutions are all part of the same broader ecosystem. Events like this create opportunities to strengthen relationships, better understand emerging priorities, and identify areas of shared interest that ultimately benefit our community. Thank you to the Ottawa Board of Trade for bringing together such a diverse group of leaders and contributors for an important conversation about Canada's future. We were pleased to be part of it and to connect with many familiar faces and new partners along the way. #Ottawa #Veterans #CommunityLeadership #OBOTDefenceForum2026 #OVTF Erika Coghill Andrée Paige Monique Goffinet, MA David Hill, ICD.D Jana Lee Murray Matthew Luloff Hamed Zadeh John Atoyebi, MSc. Marcel Gazal Kennedy Durrell-Vander Meulen Vincent Couture, MBA Candidate