Canada gets first ever female army chief

General Jennie Carignan on Thursday took charge as Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), becoming the first woman to lead the country’s armed forces.

She is 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, General Carnignan said, “I feel ready, poised and supported to take on this manifold challenge.”

Carignan takes over from General Wayne Eyre, who served as the top military commander since 2021.

“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.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Carignan “a role model for all Canadians and for the world”.

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