A groundbreaking moment: Military women reflect on Carignan’s new role as head of the Canadian Armed Forces
Women Leaders22.07.2024
Inspiring, joyous, and encouraging.
Those are just a few of the words used by military women to describe General Jennie Carignan’s historic appointment as the next Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
Earlier this month, CAF announced that Carignan would be the first woman in Canada’s history to hold the position, which makes her responsible for overseeing all aspects of the military, including administration, strategy, plans, and requirements.
Bringing over 35 years of experience to the role, Carignan is setting a clear example to other women that anything is possible if you work hard, said Karen McCrimmon, MPP for Kanata-Carleton and a 31-year Canadian Armed Forces veteran who was the first female navigator and the first woman to command a Canadian Forces air force squadron.
“It brought me joy. Here’s a woman who has proven herself time and time again, who has stepped up and done the difficult jobs and done it all,” said McCrimmon, who also served as a Member of Parliament. “I was really pleased that they looked beyond gender and saw her experience, expertise, and commitment. It made my day.”
Climbing the ranks
Like McCrimmon, Carignan is also no stranger to breaking down gender barriers during service.
In 2008, she became the first woman in CAF history to command a combat arms unit, deploying to Afghanistan the following year. She also served in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Syria and led a NATO Mission to Iraq in 2019.
Carignan continued to climb the ranks throughout her decades of service, becoming Lieutenant-General in 2021 when she was appointed CAF’s first Chief for Professional Conduct and Culture.
“I’ve been fortunate to know General Carignan for quite some time, and I’ve watched as she’s gone up through the ranks and broke a lot of barriers for women,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Melanie Lake, a fellow combat engineer like Carignan and Task Force Commander of Operation UNIFIER, where she led a team that trained the Ukrainian army before Russia’s invasion in 2022 — an experience Lake outlined during a podcast conversation with The Honest Talk.
“It always really mattered to see someone who looks like you in places where you want to be, and I think seeing General Carignan take command of the entire Canadian Armed Forces breaks down those final glass ceilings,” said Lake.
Bringing a new perspective to the table
On top of Carignan’s impressive resume, she is also a mother to four children — two of whom also serve in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Seeing a military leader bring that diverse lens and lived experience to the table is incredibly encouraging, not only for current serving members but also for future generations.
As the military tackles its own recruitment challenges and is faced with incredibly complex global issues, it’s more important than ever to have these diverse perspectives working together, said Commander Amber Comisso, a member of the Royal Canadian Navy for 27 years and the Executive Officer of HMCS WINNIPEG in 2020.
“When I joined in 1997, there were many times when I was the only woman in the room,” she said. “And I think the biggest thing for me was wondering if the leadership appreciated my experience or what I was juggling in my life, especially when I became a mom.
“But when you see a woman become the Chief of Defence, you know there are no barriers in the Canadian Armed Forces. If someone as incredibly talented, experienced, and inspiring as General Carignan can get to the very top, then people in the middle, like myself, can feel like it is really possible.”
Carignan officially took over as Chief of the Defence Staff on July 18.
