General Jennie Carignan
In 2024, General Jennie Carignan became the first female Chief of the Defence Staff, the highest ranking military position in the Canadian Armed Forces. Educated as an engineer, General Carignan has served in the Canadian military for more than 35 years, including assuming leadership roles with missions to Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, and Syria. In 2013, she became the first woman commandant of the Royal Military College, Saint-Jean, Quebec. During her command, recruitment of women at the College increased from 10 to 25 per cent. Throughout her career, General Carignan mitigated barriers to service to meet Government of Canada commitments and enable Canada’s defence.
“I see a future where the obstacles I’ve encountered in this era of perceptions based on the expected roles of men and women in our society will slowly fade away; where my son and daughter [...] will be free to make their contribution according to their worth, just the way they are.”