In a first, Canada’s armed forces get female chief

Ottawa: Breaking the glass ceiling, General Jennie Carignan this week took charge as Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), becoming the first woman to lead the country’s armed forces.

Carignan, a military engineer by training, has led troops in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq and Syria during her 35 years in the Canadian Army.

Speaking at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, she said: “I feel ready, poised and supported to take on this manifold challenge.”

“Conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East, heightened tensions elsewhere around the world, climate change, increased demands on our personnel at home and abroad, and threats to our democratic values and institutions are but a few of the complex challenges we need to adapt to and counter,” Carignan said.

Carignan takes over from General Wayne Eyre, who served as the top military commander since 2021, at a time when Canada is aiming to increase defence spending and modernise its armed forces.

Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his government’s intention to reach NATO’s defence-spending target of 2% of the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2032.

Canada’s defence spending is expected to be 1.39% of GDP in the 2024-25 fiscal year, according to government projections.

The armed forces are struggling to meet recruitment goals and have been slow to replace outdated equipment.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 duties in 2024.

“We’re facing 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.”

PM Trudeau, who called Carignan “a role model for all Canadians and for 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 head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The last two governors-general, Canada’s official representative of the British monarchy, have been women. Trudeau named them both.

It is to be noted that the honour of being the first female army chief belongs to a Slovenian general who became the head of the country’s army in 2018.