TORONTO — For the first time, a woman has become the top commander of the Canadian military.
General Jennie Carignan officially took command of the Canadian Forces during a ceremony at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa on Thursday.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Carignan is the first woman to lead the military of a country within the Group of 20 or Group of Seven.
“That could be a model and a game changer in terms of what’s possible for women,” Carignan said. “It’s a big step forward. It’s the culmination of many, many years within the Canadian Armed Forces.”
Carignan was promoted to the rank of general during the handover ceremony, after being selected by Trudeau’s government as Canada’s first female chief of defence.
Trudeau called it a historic day and praised Carignan as the right caliber to take over, having named her to the role earlier this month.
“You are the first-ever woman to be Chief of Defence Staff in Canada, the first-ever in the G7 and the G20. You are a role model for all Canadians and the world,” Trudeau said at the ceremony.
In 2018, Trudeau appointed the first female chief of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and since taking office in 2015, his cabinet has been 50% female.
Carignan is no stranger to firsts. She was also the first woman to command a combat unit in the Canadian military, and her career has included deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Syria.
For the past three years, she has served as chief professional conduct and culture officer, a role created in the wake of the 2021 sexual misconduct scandal.
Carignan called the promotion a logical step and said she is grateful.
“I’m ready. I’ve been working all this time,” she said.
She said her top priorities are recruiting and retaining staff.
The appointment comes as Canada continues to face criticism from NATO allies for failing to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defense. The Canadian government recently said it would meet its NATO commitment by 2032, but no details have been provided.
