OTTAWA: In a historic milestone, General Jennie Carignan has taken charge as Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), marking the first time a woman has led the country’s armed forces. Carignan, a military engineer, has a distinguished 35-year career serving in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq, and Syria.
Speaking at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Carignan expressed her readiness for the role: “I feel ready, poised, and supported to take on this manifold challenge.” She highlighted current global and domestic challenges, including conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, climate change, and threats to democratic values.
Carignan succeeds General Wayne Eyre, who led since 2021. Her appointment comes as Canada aims to increase defence spending, targeting NATO’s 2% of GDP goal by 2032, up from 1.39% projected for 2024-25. The military faces recruitment and equipment modernization challenges, with Carignan emphasizing the need to address these issues.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised Carignan as a role model and noted his administration’s commitment to gender equality, appointing women to key positions such as the head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and governors-general.
While Carignan is Canada’s first female CDS, the global first was a Slovenian general appointed in 2018.
