Top military commanders from 32 NATO nations will vote Saturday on whether Canada’s chief of the defence staff, Gen. Jennie Carignan, or Germany’s Gen. Carsten Breuer will chair the alliance’s Military Committee. The secret-ballot election takes place at a meeting of NATO chiefs of defence staff, according to CBC News.
A victory would make Carignan the first woman to lead the committee in the alliance’s 77-year history and would return Canada to the chair for the first time in almost two decades. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Mark Carney has endorsed her candidacy.
Carignan told CBC News it is “a privilege to be considered,” particularly as the alliance faces heightened tensions with Russia, hybrid attacks and the war in Ukraine. “Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely know what I’m getting myself into, but such an important time to work with NATO as partners,” she said. “And I think I can make a difference in that way.” She said some fellow defence chiefs encouraged her to run.
Defence Minister David McGuinty said Friday that Carignan deserves the job because she has “enormous credibility” and has reached out to her counterparts in all NATO member countries. He said it would be “historical and groundbreaking” for the first woman chief of defence to chair the committee.
The chair of the Military Committee is the alliance’s senior military officer and acts as the bridge between NATO’s political leadership and its military commanders. The committee assesses threats, capabilities and operational requirements and provides military advice to the North Atlantic Council. The current chair is Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who took office in January 2025.
The vote comes after Carney’s visit to Strasbourg, France, this week, where European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed Canada becoming the EU’s first “associate member.” U.S. President Donald Trump called the proposal “laughable” and described it as potentially a “hostile act” that would prompt more tariffs.
Steve Saideman, a defence expert at Carleton University, said Carignan “absolutely has a shot” at the position, noting that Carney “probably did his homework and wouldn’t put the name forward if she didn’t have a chance.” He also said the Trump administration could attempt to block consensus. “Trump is not going to let a Canadian or a woman be the head of the military committee, if anybody around him has paid attention to it,” Saideman said. McGuinty said he has no sense of how the Americans will react.
Retired general Ray Henault was the last Canadian to hold the post, serving from 2005 to 2008. He said it took three rounds of balloting to secure his election. The vote will take place during a closed, private session of the committee.
Sources: Ottawa Citizen · Ottawa Citizen