She joined the army 35 years ago as a military engineer and has commanded troops in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq, and Syria. For the first time ever, Canada nominated a woman as its top soldier on Wednesday, advancing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s campaign for women to hold the highest positions.
As chief of staff, Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan will assume leadership on July 18 and oversee efforts to eradicate pervasive sexism and wrongdoing in the armed services. Originally trained as a military engineer, Carignan has 35 years of army experience and has commanded soldiers in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq, and Syria.
“Over the course of her career, her exceptional leadership qualities, commitment to excellence, and dedication to service have been a tremendous asset to our Armed Forces,” Trudeau said in a release.
Carignan takes office at a moment when allies are pressuring Canada to increase defense spending. The military is having trouble recruiting new members and has been sluggish in replacing outmoded gear.
As of last November, the chief of naval operations stated that the service was in “a critical state” and might not be able to perform its fundamental functions by 2024.
After taking government in late 2015, Trudeau—an outspoken feminist—pursued initiatives aimed at advancing gender equality.
Brenda Lucki was named the first female commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police by him in 2018. Women have served as the official representatives of the British monarchy for the past two governors general. Trudeau gave them both names.
This grim evaluation was released concurrently with Carignan’s historic appointment as the first female commander of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), which she formally assumed on Thursday at a ceremony in Ottawa. A historic victory achieved 35 years after women were granted the ability to serve in combat capacities in the armed forces.
