Canada appoints first female chief of defense staff
Jennie Carignan, the incoming commander of NATO's Iraq mission, salutes during the handover ceremony in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on November 26, 2019 (AFP Photo)
In a historic move, Canada has appointed Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan as the first woman to lead its military. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Carignan’s appointment on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone for the G7 and NATO member nations.
Carignan, a highly decorated soldier and mother of four, will be promoted to the rank of general and will assume her new role as chief of the Defense Staff on July 18. She will succeed General Wayne Eyre, who is retiring.
“I am confident that, as Canada’s new chief of the Defence Staff, she will help Canada be stronger, more secure, and ready to tackle global security challenges,” said Trudeau. Speaking at a press conference in Montreal, he emphasized that Carignan’s leadership comes at a time of “complicated geopolitics and increased threats.”
The appointment of Carignan is a significant step for the Canadian Armed Forces, which have been grappling with a toxic culture. A 2022 external report described the military environment as “hostile to women… (and) conducive to more serious incidents of sexual harassment and assault.” Over the past three years, Carignan has been at the forefront of efforts to reform this culture to be more respectful and inclusive, following numerous accusations of sexual misconduct, including some involving senior officers.
Women currently make up 16 percent of the Canadian military, according to government data.
Carignan’s journey to the top of the military hierarchy is inspiring. Raised in the mining town of Asbestos, Quebec, as the daughter of a policeman and a teacher, she joined the military in 1986. This was three years before Canada opened combat roles to women. Trained as a combat engineer, Carignan quickly advanced through the ranks, challenging traditional views on women in the military.
Her career includes leading a Canadian combat unit in Afghanistan, where she survived both a suicide bomber and an improvised explosive device that damaged a vehicle in her convoy. She has also served in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Syria, led NATO’s training mission in Iraq from 2019 to 2020, and commanded the 2nd Canadian Division, the military’s largest regiment with over 10,000 troops.
