General Jennie Carignan didn't plan on spending her first year as Canada’s top soldier arguing about things that were settled decades ago. But here we are. In late 2024, at the Halifax International Security Forum, she found herself standing before a crowd of global defense experts, essentially being asked to justify her own existence—and the existence of every woman wearing a uniform. It was a moment that went viral, not just because of the rank on her shoulders, but because of the sheer, exhausted bluntness of her response.
"I can't believe that in 2024 we still have to justify the contribution of women," she told the room.
The crowd gave her a standing ovation. It wasn't just polite clapping; it was a release of tension. Carignan, who took over as the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) in July 2024, has become the face of a very specific, very modern struggle. She isn't just leading a military; she’s defending a philosophy of service that is currently under fire from some of Canada's closest allies.
The Halifax Confrontation
The drama started when U.S. Senator Jim Risch suggested that the "jury is still out" on whether women should be in combat units. This was a nod to Pete Hegseth, who at the time was being floated for a major U.S. defense role and had openly questioned the "lethality" of mixed-gender units.
Carignan wasn't having it.
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She stood up and reminded everyone that she has spent 39 years as a combat arms officer. She’s been in the dirt. She’s cleared minefields in Bosnia and led troops in the high-stakes environment of Kandahar, Afghanistan. When she says the jury is not out, she’s speaking from the perspective of someone who has actually done the jury’s work for four decades.
Honestly, the idea that women are a "distraction" to national security—as some critics claim—is something Carignan views as a dangerous myth. In her view, diversity isn't some corporate HR buzzword. It’s a tactical necessity. When she led the NATO mission in Iraq from 2019 to 2020, she saw firsthand how a diverse force could navigate complex social landscapes that an all-male unit simply couldn't.
Why the "Lethality" Argument Falls Flat
Critics often point to physical standards or "unit cohesion" as reasons to keep women out of the infantry or armored corps. Carignan’s career is basically a walking rebuttal to that. She grew up in the mining town of Asbestos, Quebec. As a kid, she was out there with her brothers handling chainsaws and shooting guns. Her mom didn't keep her back to do dishes while the men did the "real work."
That upbringing shaped a leader who views capability as a binary: you can either do the job, or you can't.
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In the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), the integration of women into all roles happened in 1989. That’s nearly 40 years of data. We aren't guessing anymore. We know how this works. Carignan points out that in modern warfare—where drones, cyber operations, and intelligence-gathering are just as critical as raw physical strength—excluding 50% of the population is just bad math.
Leading Through a Culture Crisis
It’s not all standing ovations and sharp retorts, though. Carignan inherited a military that is, quite frankly, struggling.
Before she became the big boss, she was the Chief of Professional Conduct and Culture. That was a role created specifically to fix the systemic issues of sexual misconduct and "old boys' club" mentality that had rocked the CAF for years. She knows better than anyone that the military isn't perfect.
She has admitted to firing people in almost every job she’s ever had. Why? Because they couldn't handle the reality of a modern, inclusive force. She once fired a chief warrant officer when she was only 24 because he was a bully who didn't want to hire a female plumber. That’s the kind of energy she brings to the top job.
- The Recruitment Gap: Canada is facing a massive shortfall in personnel.
- The Gear Issue: From old pistols to a lack of air defense, the equipment needs an upgrade.
- The NATO Pressure: Canada is under the microscope to hit that 2% of GDP spending target.
Carignan is juggling these massive institutional headaches while also being the symbolic "first" female leader of a Five Eyes military. It's a lot.
The Reality of Women on the Front Lines
While politicians in Washington or Ottawa debate "unit cohesion," women on the ground are proving the point every day. At that same Halifax forum, a Ukrainian officer named Maj. Anna Novak shared her experience. She spoke about women successfully operating drones and leading logistics in the middle of a full-scale invasion.
For Carignan, this is the ultimate evidence. If women were a "distraction," they wouldn't be the ones holding the line against the Russian military.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Carignan
People look at her and see a "trailblazer." She hates that word, or at least, she’s tired of it. She doesn't want to be the "female" general; she wants to be the general who fixed the recruitment crisis.
She’s a mother of four. Two of her kids are actually serving in the military right now. When she talks about the future of the Canadian Armed Forces, it isn't just professional for her. It’s personal. She’s building the organization her own children will lead.
Actionable Insights for the Future
If we want to understand where the military is going under Carignan, we need to look at her actual priorities.
- Professionalism Over Optics: Expect more high-level dismissals if leaders can't get on board with the new culture. Carignan has shown she isn't afraid to clean house.
- Modernizing the Pitch: To fix recruitment, the CAF has to look like the Canada it serves. You can't recruit Gen Z by telling them it's still 1955.
- The Combat Arms Standard: Carignan is a combat engineer by trade. She values technical expertise. The focus will likely shift toward high-tech warfare capabilities.
The debate about women in combat isn't going away, especially with the shifting political tides in the United States. But with Jennie Carignan at the helm, Canada has a leader who has lived the reality of the front lines. She’s not arguing from a textbook. She’s arguing from 39 years of experience, and she’s not backing down.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Follow the official Department of National Defence updates on the "Culture Evolution" reports to see if Carignan's policies are actually moving the needle on recruitment.
- Watch for the 2026 federal budget to see if the government follows through on the 2% NATO spending commitment, which will be the biggest test of Carignan's ability to modernize the force.