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On International Women’s Day 2021, the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, in partnership with Firefighting in Canada and through a generous grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, had the privilege of interviewing women leaders in the fire service who stayed and succeeded in the fire service, well before it was common to talk about equity, diversity and inclusion.

Through this Celebration Series, they generously shared their stories, and offered us the opportunity to hear the experiences and recommendations of these individuals to both incoming professionals and to departments seeking to improve their Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.  

Meet these trail blazers and hear their advice in the interviews below.

Session 1:Chief Karen Fry (Vancouver, BC) and Chief Keri Martens (Chair, CAFC EDI)
Recording: Available here

Chief Keri Martens Canmore, AB		Chief Karen Fry Vancouver, BC

Session 2: Chief Sue Henry (Calgary, AB) and Chief Sherry Colford (St. John's, NB)

Recording: Available here

Chief Susan Henry Calgary, AB		Chief Sherry Colford St. John's, NB

Session 3: Chief Nancy Macdonald-Duncan (Mississauga, ON) and Chief Deb Bergeson (Calgary, AB)  

Recording: Available here

Chief Nancy Macdonald-Duncan Mississauga, ON		Chief Deb Bergeson Calgary, AB

Session 4: MP Gudie Hutchings, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development (Long Range Mountains, NL), Deputy Chief Ivana Irwin (Leduc County, AB), Chief Jeannine Caldbeck (Thetis Island, BC), and Chief Keri Martens (Canmore, AB)

Recording: Available here

MP Gudie Hitchings Long Range Mountains, NL		DC Ivana Irwin Leduc County, AB		Chief Jeannine Caldbeck Thetis Island, BC		Chief Keri Martens Canmore, AB

Session 5: Deputy Chief Sandra Follack (Kelowna, BC) and Assistant Director Chantal Bibeau (Laval, QC)

Recording: Available here

Chief Sandra Follack Kelowna, BC		Assistant Director, Chantal Bibeau Laval, QC

Session 6: Fire Chief Monique Belair (Belleville, ON)

Recording: Available here

Chief Monique Belair Belleville, ON

Session 7 : Fire Chief (Ret.) Cynthia Ross-Tustin (ON)

Recording: Available here

Chief (ret.) Cynthia Ross - Tustin Ontario

Session 8 : AFAC President Michelle Vandevord (SK)

Recording: Available here

Chief Michelle Vandevord Saskatchewan

Stay tuned as future sessions are announced. Future phases of the program will focus on individuals of all genders who come from other diverse backgrounds. If you know someone you’d like to recommend, please email us at  info@cafc.ca.