Colonel (Retired) Nishika Jardine named New Veterans Ombudsperson

On November 11, 2020, the Government of Canada appointed Colonel (Retired) Nishika Jardine as the new Veterans Ombudsperson. The core responsibility of the Veterans Ombudsperson is to review complaints and issues related to programs and services delivered by Veterans Affairs Canada and to uphold the Veterans Bill of Rights.

Colonel (Retired) Jardine served almost 37 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, as an officer in the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers. She has served and led in organizations in the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and commanded the Electrical & Mechanical Engineers School from 2008 to 2010. She deployed to Afghanistan on Operation ATHENA, and retired in 2019 as the Deputy Commandant of the Canadian Forces College.

Quick facts

• The Veterans Ombudsperson reviews complaints arising from the Veterans Bill of Rights and issues related to programs and services administered by Veterans Affairs Canada. They facilitate access by clients to programs and services by providing them with information and referrals. 
• The Ombudsperson also provides advice to the Minister and Department on the well-being of Veterans and their families. 

Biographie

Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine served almost 37 years as an officer in the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (RCEME). She enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in 1982 and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada with a Bachelor of Science in Math and Physics.

She has served and led in Maintenance organizations with the Army in Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Gagetown, the Navy in CFB Esquimalt, and the Air Force at 19 Wing Comox. She commanded the RCEME School in 2008-2010. She was promoted to Colonel in 2014 and served one year as Director Armament Sustainment Program Management before her final posting as Deputy Commandant at Canadian Forces College. She completed her service in May 2019.

She has completed several important professional development courses including both the Army and the Canadian Forces Staff College programs. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College, and most recently earned the Chartered Director designation.

Other notable staff appointments include RCEME Officers Career Manager, Staff Officer to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Program Officer National Security Studies Program, Deputy Project Manager Medium Support Vehicle System, and the senior staff officer responsible for the strategic sustainment of the Joint Task Force for Operation ATHENA in Afghanistan.

Since leaving the CAF, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston, the Board of Governors of the Air Cadet League Ontario Provincial Committee, the Board of Directors of the Order of St. George, and the Board of Directors for the RCEME Museum and Heritage Foundation.

Source: https://ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/en/your-ombudsman