This House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs meeting, held on February 25, 2026, was part of a study on barriers to entrepreneurship among veterans. Witnesses appearing were Bryan Brulotte (as an individual), Greg Merrill (Veterans Elite Drone Training Services Inc.), Richard Coleman (Honour House Society), Kevin Leboeuf (as an individual), Grigori Potapenko (as an individual), and Christopher Hennebery (Veterans Artist Collective).
Bryan Brulotte, a former infantry officer and successful business founder, recommended four key supports for veteran entrepreneurs: structured, transition-oriented business training focused on practical fundamentals like cash flow and procurement; formalized networking and peer-based support ecosystems; targeted procurement pathways or set-asides for veteran-owned businesses; and improved access to growth and scale capital, noting that Canada’s lack of such financing forced him to sell his company. He argued that the current national narrative portrays veterans as broken, which overshadows their potential as leaders and entrepreneurs, and that shifting this narrative to one of ambition and capability would be the single most important change.
Greg Merrill, a retired air force officer and drone instructor, explained that Veterans Elite Drone Training Services Inc. trains veterans for commercial drone operations, but a 2023 policy change by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) moved all drone training from the formal program funding envelope (up to $80,000) to the short course funding envelope (a one-time maximum of $5,000). This limits veterans’ ability to afford advanced certifications required for high-value commercial work, such as beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations, and he recommended that drone training be re-eligible under the formal program funding.
Richard Coleman, a former deputy premier of British Columbia and businessman, emphasized that veterans possess discipline, organization, and teamwork skills that align well with entrepreneurship, but they need additional training in financial reporting and business planning. He recommended that the Canadian Armed Forces establish a mentorship program connecting veterans with experienced businesspeople, and create a relationship with the Canadian Franchise Association to offer franchise opportunities, as franchises have a higher success rate and suit veterans’ disciplined nature.
Kevin Leboeuf, co-founder of Educated Beards, shared his personal story of transitioning from a combat role with PTSD to entrepreneurship, finding that his veteran status was a barrier rather than an asset. He had to restructure his company to make his wife the majority shareholder to access funding and support programs available to women in business, and he faced investigation and loss of disability benefits when his business success was used against him, despite his ongoing therapy. He called for a system that does not punish veterans for rebuilding their lives and for CANEX to feature veteran-owned products.
Grigori Potapenko, a veteran and entrepreneur, identified capital, talent, and revenue as the three fundamental barriers, noting that Canada lacks a veteran-focused acquisition pathway for the coming generational transfer of small businesses, unlike U.S. programs. He recommended a payroll tax holiday or wage subsidy for veteran-owned firms’ first hires, simplified federal hiring credits, and government procurement mechanisms that recognize veteran-led firms, arguing these are not favours but rational capital allocations. He also highlighted the lack of data on veteran-owned businesses and the absence of entrepreneurial options in transition programs.
Christopher Hennebery, a chief warrant officer and founder of the Veterans Artist Collective, described how his collective provides creative workshops and exhibition platforms for veterans, many with operational stress injuries, as a pathway to mental health. He argued that VAC’s retraining programs are too rigid for non-traditional careers like art or tattooing, and that the $80,000 education benefit is inaccessible for many injured veterans who cannot fit into conventional models. He called for more flexible, individualized frameworks that recognize veterans as potential job creators, not just job seekers.
During questioning, witnesses agreed that the U.S. treats military service as a foundation for social mobility with programs like procurement set-asides, while Canada’s narrative focuses on compassion for broken veterans, which discourages ambition. Mr. Brulotte noted that procurement set-asides could also incentivize non-veteran companies to hire veterans. Mr. Merrill confirmed that military drone operator certifications do not transfer to civilian Transport Canada ratings. Mr. Coleman expanded on the value of mentorship, comparing it to programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters. Mr. Leboeuf and Mr. Potapenko both stated they were neither encouraged nor discouraged by VAC in their entrepreneurial pursuits, with Mr. Potapenko noting no entrepreneurial stream was offered during his transition. Mr. Hennebery added that the military taught him to bootstrap, but formalized bootstrapping training would help new entrepreneurs. On budget concerns, Mr. Potapenko suggested that VAC could better support existing grassroots initiatives without major new investment, and Mr. Hennebery argued for smarter allocation of existing retraining funds rather than more money.
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