(Ottawa) An “exceptional” leader driven by a “commitment to excellence”: the Prime Minister welcomed his choice to appoint Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan as Chief of the Defence Staff. The decision to entrust her with the reins of the Armed Forces was welcomed by the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party, but has yet to inspire a reaction from the Conservative Party.
“I want to congratulate Jennie Carignan, who grew up here in Quebec, who is being promoted to the position of Chief of the Defence Staff,” Justin Trudeau said on the sidelines of an announcement in Montreal on Wednesday.
“Throughout his career, his leadership, his concern for excellence and his dedication have been considerable assets to our Armed Forces,” he continued.
And Jennie Carignan, he assured, will know how to “contribute to making Canada stronger and safer.”
National Defence Minister Bill Blair welcomed the designation of the soldier “who served Canada with great distinction, both at home and abroad” during her career spanning more than 35 years.
PHOTO ADRIAN WYLD, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
National Defence Minister Bill Blair
Her “vast experience” makes her “the ideal person to lead the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)”, and “I have confidence in the future of this important institution under her leadership”, he also said.
Among her feats of arms, Jennie Carignan was commander of two combat engineer regiments, as well as the Royal Military College of Saint-Jean and the 2e Division of Canada.
She was deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Golan Heights and Afghanistan, and commanded NATO’s mission in Iraq for one year, from November 2019 to November 2020.
His selection to take on “a great challenge” was also applauded by the Governor General of Canada Mary Simon, who is officially the commander-in-chief of the CAF.
“I know she will maintain the high standards we have come to expect from the CAF, and that she will do so with dignity, honour, respect and a great sense of duty,” said the King’s representative in Canada.
Others, including the United States Ambassador to Canada, joined in the chorus of praise for the historic appointment.
“It was a privilege to work with Lieutenant General Carignan, who is a distinguished leader and a valued friend to the United States,” David Cohen wrote on the X network.
The day before the designation, which had been leaked in recent days, the Bloc and NDP critics for National Defence had expressed enthusiasm for the choice.
Asked several times on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Conservative Party did not provide any reaction.
A short transition
Under this appointment, Jennie Carignan will be promoted to the rank of general.
She will replace General Wayne Eyre, the current Chief of the Defence Staff, who will retire from the CAF after approximately 40 years of service.
He also wanted to congratulate his successor.
“We will work over the coming weeks to ensure an efficient and smooth transition,” he stressed in a message published on the X network.
General Eyre, who has held the reins of the CAF since 2021, will continue in his duties until the appointment of the new Chief of the Defence Staff comes into effect.
This will take place on July 18, during a change of command ceremony.
The time between the appointment of Jennie Carignan and the official handover is therefore relatively short.
Senior military officers had also deplored the slowness of the Trudeau government in proceeding with this appointment, according to our information.
The announcement of General Eyre’s retirement dates back to January 12, almost six months ago.