Canada: Jennie Carignan becomes the first woman chief of the defence staff
File photo of Jennie Carignan
General Jennie Carignan made history on Thursday (July 18) as she officially took command of Canada's armed forces, becoming the first woman to lead the country's military. The ceremony took place at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
Carignan, who has spent 35 years in the Canadian Army, is trained as a military engineer. Her extensive experience includes commanding troops in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq and Syria.
"I feel ready, poised and supported to take on this manifold challenge," Carignan said during the ceremony. She highlighted several global and domestic issues that she will tackle, including conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, heightened global tensions, climate change, and threats to democratic values.
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Carignan succeeds General Wayne Eyre, who has served as the chief of defence staff since 2021. Her appointment comes as Canada plans to increase its defence budget and modernise its military.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the goal to meet NATO's defence-spending target of 2% of GDP by 2032. Currently, Canada’s defence spending is projected at 1.39% of GDP for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
The Canadian armed forces face several challenges, including difficulty in meeting recruitment targets and delays in updating outdated equipment. Last November, the head of the navy warned that the service might struggle to perform basic duties in 2024.
"We're facing many internal challenges such as recruitment and retention," Carignan acknowledged. "We know the challenges we face and what we need to do to address them."
Prime Minister Trudeau praised Carignan, calling her "a role model for all Canadians and for the world."
Since taking office in 2015, Trudeau has emphasised gender equality, appointing Brenda Lucki as the first female head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 2018. Both recent governorgenerals, Canada's representatives of the British monarchy, were also women, appointed by Trudeau.
(With inputs from agencies)
