Today on Parliament Hill, Lieutenant-General Jean-Marc Lanthier assumed his new position as Commander Canadian Army from Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk. The ceremony was presided over by General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff.

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“Under Lieutenant-General Wynnyk’s leadership, the Canadian Army has stood ready to defend the interests of Canadians at home and abroad. I commend his unwavering commitment to his soldiers and to Canada. I also wish Lieutenant-General Lanthier all the best as he assumes command of the Canadian Army. I am confident that he will serve our Army with professionalism and distinction.”

Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence 

“I would like to congratulate Lieutenant-General Wynnyk on his new role, and thank him for his commitment and strong leadership as Commander Canadian Army for the last two years. I applaud his efforts to strengthen the Army Reserve and his dedication to ensuring our soldiers receive the best possible training to meet the demands of any operation. I would like to congratulate Lieutenant-General Lanthier on his appointment as Commander Canadian Army, and I have every confidence in Lieutenant-General Lanthier’s abilities to lead Canada’s Army into the future.”

General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff 

“I am extremely honoured to be provided with such an incredible opportunity to command the Canadian Army and lead its proud soldiers. I look forward to building on the hard work and success of Lieutenant-General Wynnyk to ensure the Canadian Army is poised to achieve excellence in all it does.”

Lieutenant-General Jean-Marc Lanthier, Commander Canadian Army 

“It has been a privilege and an honour to serve as Commander Canadian Army, and to work alongside the exceptional and professional military men and women who serve and sacrifice to protect and defend our nation and its Allies. I thank each and every one of our soldiers, our civilians and their families for what they do in support of Canada and all Canadians.”

Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk, outgoing Commander Canadian Army 

• Lieutenant-General Jean-Marc Lanthier has served in a variety of command and staff appointments including command of the 2nd Canadian Division/Joint Task Force (East) and the Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre; as well as Director of Land Requirements and, most recently, as Chief of Programme. His numerous operational deployments include three to the former Yugoslavia; two to Afghanistan, one where he served as the Commanding Officer of the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team; and one to Haiti where he was the Canadian Deputy Commander of the Joint Task Force.  

• Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk has served in a variety of domestic and international appointments. Before assuming command of the Canadian Army in 2016, he was the Commander of Canadian Forces Intelligence Command. 

• The Change of Command ceremony took place at Parliament Hill and included a 100-soldier marching and band contingent comprised of members of the Ceremonial Guard drawn from the Governor General’s Foot Guards, The Canadian Grenadier Guards and several other units. Displays of military equipment were showcased during the event.

• Lieutenant-General Jean-Marc Lanthier, along with becoming the Commander of the Canadian Army, will also become the new Defence Team Champion for Indigenous Peoples. This position has been held by the Commander Canadian Army for over ten years. 

• The Canadian Army is the largest element of the Canadian Armed Forces and consists of:

  • 23,500 full-time soldiers in the Regular Force;
  • 19,000 part-time, volunteer soldiers in the Reserve Force;
  • 5,000 Canadian Rangers who serve in sparsely settled northern, coastal and isolated areas of Canada; and
  • 3,000 civilian employees who support the Army. 

Related products

• Change of Command Ceremony Video

Associated links

• Canadian Army website
• Canadian Army Facebook
• Canadian Army Twitter
• Canadian Army YouTube
• Canadian Army Flickr
• Canadian Army Instagram

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-2353
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca