Jennie Carignan

Jennie Carignan is a Canadian Army general and the first woman to serve as Chief of the Defence Staff, the senior military appointment in Canadian history. A combat engineer officer, she joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1986 and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada with an engineering degree before later earning advanced military and business qualifications.

Throughout her career, General Carignan commanded combat engineer units, led operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, and the Golan Heights, and became the first female officer in Canadian history to command a combat arms unit. She later commanded the 2nd Canadian Division and NATO Mission Iraq before being appointed Chief of Professional Conduct and Culture, where she helped lead reforms addressing misconduct within the Canadian Armed Forces.

In July 2024, she was promoted to full General and formally assumed command as Chief of the Defence Staff, becoming the first woman to lead the Canadian Armed Forces and the first female defence chief among the Five Eyes nations. Her leadership has focused on rebuilding military readiness, recruitment, modernization, and institutional reform.