Minister McGuinty announces Canadian candidate for Chair of the NATO Military Committee
News release
May 20, 2026 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Today, the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, announced the candidacy of General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, for the position of Chair of the NATO Military Committee.
The Chair of the NATO Military Committee is the Alliance’s most senior military role and serves as the principal military advisor to the Secretary General and a key facilitator of strategic military collaboration among Allied Chiefs of Defence. The term of the current Chair is expected to conclude in mid-2027, and an election to determine a successor is planned for September 2026 during the Military Committee Conference in Cophenhagen, Denmark.
Canada’s nomination reflects our enduring commitment to NATO and to strengthening collective defence and transatlantic security in an era of increasing global instability and strategic competition.
General Carignan has served as Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff since 2024 and has held senior leadership appointments across the Canadian Armed Forces, including operational and institutional command roles in Canada and abroad. Throughout her more than 40-year career in uniform, she has played a central role in advancing operational readiness, military modernization, institutional transformation, and multinational cooperation.
As the process to determine the next Chair unfolds, General Carignan will continue her duties as Chief of the Defence Staff, leading Canada’s armed forces through a period of generational transformation and ongoing operations around the world.
Quotes
“Canada remains unwavering in its commitment to NATO. General Carignan is an exceptional military leader whose experience, judgement, and deep commitment to Allied collaboration make her an outstanding candidate to serve as the next Chair of the NATO Military Committee. Her candidacy reflects Canada’s continued leadership within NATO and our determination to contribute meaningfully to Euro-Atlantic security in an increasingly complex world.”
The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence
Quick facts
-
The NATO Military Committee is NATO’s highest military authority, and is the Alliance’s oldest permanent body next to the North Atlantic Council. General Carignan currently represents Canada as a member, as Canada’s Chief of Defence.
-
The Chair of the NATO Military Committee is elected by Allied Chiefs of Defence.
-
Canada is a founding member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization and has been a member of the Alliance since 1949.
-
Over the course of NATO’s history, only three Canadians have previously served as Chair of NATO Military Committee: General Charles Foulkes (1952-1953), Admiral Robert Falls (1980-1983), and General Raymond Henault (2005-2008).
-
Canada continues to make significant contributions to NATO operations, deterrence and defence, including through Operation REASSURANCE, Canada’s largest overseas military operation.
Associated links
Contacts
Alice Hansen
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Email: alice.hansen2@forces.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca