OTTAWA: Shattering the glass ceiling, General Jennie Carignan on Thursday assumed the role of Canada's Chief of Defence Staff, becoming the first woman to lead the country's armed forces.
A trained military engineer, Carignan has led troops in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq and Syria during her 35 years in the Canadian military.
Speaking at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, she said: “I feel prepared, ready and supported to meet this multi-pronged challenge.”
“Conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East, rising tensions elsewhere in the world, climate change, increased demands on our staff at home and abroad, and threats to our democratic values and institutions are just some of the complex challenges we must adapt to and counter,” Carignan said.
Carignan replaces Gen. Wayne Eyre, who has served as the top military commander since 2021, as Canada looks to increase defense spending and modernize its armed forces.
Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his government's intention to meet NATO's defence spending target of 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2032.
Canada's defence spending is expected to be 1.39% of GDP in fiscal year 2024-25, according to government projections.
The military is struggling to meet its recruiting targets and has been slow to replace outdated equipment.
Last November, the head of the Navy said the service was in “a critical state” and might not be able to carry out its basic tasks by 2024.
“We face many internal challenges, such as recruitment and retention,” Carignan said. “We know the challenges we face and what we need to do to address them.”
Prime Minister Trudeau, who called Carignan “a role model for all Canadians and the world,” has pursued policies designed to boost gender equality since taking office in 2015.
In 2018, he appointed Brenda Lucki as the first female chief of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The last two governors general, the official representatives of the British monarchy in Canada, have been women. Trudeau appointed both.
It should be noted that the honour of being the first female head of the army belongs to a Slovenian general who became the country's head of army in 2018.
