Who is Jennie Carignan? Canada's first woman to be appointed Chief of the Defence Staff
File photo of Jennie Carignan. Photograph:( WION Web Team )
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"I am confident that, as Canada's new Chief of the Defence Staff, she will help Canada be stronger, more secure, and ready to tackle global security challenges," said Prime Minister Trudeau announcing Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan's appointment as Chief of the Defence Staff
"I am confident that, as Canada's new Chief of the Defence Staff, she will help Canada be stronger, more secure, and ready to tackle global security challenges," said Prime Minister Trudeau announcing Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan's appointment as Chief of the Defence Staff
In a historic first, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday (July 3) appointed Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan as the country's top soldier, in charge of leading the military. This appointment is in line with Trudeau's continuing push to appoint women to the most senior jobs.
"I am confident that, as Canada's new Chief of the Defence Staff, she will help Canada be stronger, more secure, and ready to tackle global security challenges," said Prime Minister Trudeau.
He said that Carignan takes over at a pivotal moment marked by "complicated geopolitics and increased threats."
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Who is Jennie Carignan?
Lieutenant-General Carignan will take over as the chief of defence on July 18 and has been tasked with stamping out ingrained sexism and misconduct in the armed forces.
A damning 2022 external report described the Canadian Armed Forces as "hostile to women... (and) conducive to more serious incidents of sexual harassment and assault."
She will be promoted to the rank of General and will take over from retiring General Wayne Eyre.
Carignan is a highly decorated soldier and the mother of four children, two of whom, like her, are soldiers in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Breaking glass ceilings is nothing new for Carignan. As per AFP, she joined the military in 1986, three years before Canada allowed women in combat roles.
Trained as a combat engineer - soldiers that clear bombs and erect and destroy battlefield structures - Carignan rose quickly through the ranks, becoming the first woman to lead a Canadian combat unit.
As per Reuters, during her 35 years in the army, she has commanded troops in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq and Syria.
In Afghanistan, she narrowly avoided a suicide bomber and an improvised explosive device that mangled a vehicle in her convoy, reports AFP. In Iraq, she led NATO's training mission from 2019 to 2020, and commanded the 2nd Canadian Division — the military's largest regiment with more than 10,000 troops.
(With inputs from agencies)
