General Jennie Carignan assumes command as Chief of the Defence Staff

General Jennie Carignan assumed leadership of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) from outgoing Chief of the Defence Staff, General Wayne Eyre.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, presided over the ceremony, which took place at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

The Chief of the Defence Staff, Canada’s highest-ranking military officer is responsible for advising the government, providing strategic leadership to the CAF, and ensuring military readiness and effectiveness to defend Canada’s interests at home and abroad.

General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, has had a distinguished career since commissioning into the Canadian Military Engineers in 1990. She commanded two Combat Engineer Regiments, Royal Military College Saint-Jean, and the 2nd Canadian Division. She participated in multiple international and domestic deployments, led NATO Mission Iraq and most recently held the position of Chief of Professional Conduct and Culture. General Carignan holds two master’s degrees and has received several honours, including the Commander of the Order of Military Merit and an honorary doctorate. She was promoted to her current rank in July 2024.

Following the ceremony, General Wayne Eyre will begin his transition to retirement following a career of more than 40 years of dedicated service to Canada. General Eyre joined the Army Cadets at age 12 and has had a prominent military career, including command roles at all levels and deployments in Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Korea. Educated at Royal Roads Military College and the Royal Military College of Canada, he holds a Bachelor of Science and three master’s degrees. General Eyre has been the Chief of the Defence Staff since February 24, 2021, and has received numerous national and international decorations for his service.

“I am deeply honoured to assume the role of Chief of the Defence Staff and to lead the dedicated members of the Canadian Armed Forces. I am committed to continuing our mission of defending Canada and contributing to global peace and security. I extend my heartfelt thanks to General Eyre for his exceptional leadership and service.”

General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff

“It has been my distinct honour to serve as the Chief of the Defence Staff and to work alongside the incredible members of the Canadian Armed Forces. I have full confidence in General Carignan’s ability to lead and inspire the Forces to face the challenges ahead. This is an institution with great people with no higher purpose and I am proud of what they do in the service of our country every day. They have my most profound thanks.”

General Wayne Eyre, Outgoing Chief of the Defence Staff

Read the full statement form The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence:

“Today, I join Canadians in welcoming General Jennie Carignan as Chief of the Defence Staff. General Carignan has served Canada with great distinction both at home and abroad over the past 35 years – and I am confident that the Canadian Armed Forces will be well-served by her leadership. Throughout her career, General Carignan has had a proven track record of excellence and unwavering commitment on difficult operations, including in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Syria, and during her leadership of NATO Mission Iraq.

“This is a pivotal moment for our national security, as Canadians are confronted with a series of generational challenges. Democracy, freedom, and the rules-based international order that Canada helped build are being increasingly contested by authoritarian states. The character of conflict is changing as technology evolves rapidly. At the same time, our Arctic is warming at four times the global average, opening the region to the world.

“In order to meet these challenges, we must do two things at the same time: invest in our military capabilities, and strengthen the foundations of our institution. Through Our North, Strong and Free, we are making investments in military capability across all domains. I look forward to working with General Carignan to implement this renewed vision for defence.

“At the same time, we must strengthen the foundations of our institution – including by filling the gap between the Canadian Armed Forces’ actual force size and our authorized force size. We need to do things differently – and I know that I can count on General Carignan’s leadership to get this done.

“Of course, our first priority must always be our people and their well-being. Over the past few years as Chief, Professional Conduct and Culture, General Carignan has made great strides in building an organization where all members are treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve. We must continue to take action in response to the 48 recommendations given to us by the Honourable Louise Arbour in 2022, as well as other External Review Reports. I thank General Carignan for her work in developing the Comprehensive Implementation Plan (CIP) – and look forward to our ongoing collaboration to implement these recommendations.

“Finally, on behalf of all Canadians, I express my thanks to General Wayne Eyre for his leadership as Chief of the Defence Staff. General Eyre helped guide the Canadian Armed Forces through a series of difficult challenges – and was an instrumental part of the work behind our renewed vision for defence, Our North, Strong and Free. I am grateful for General Eyre’s advice and counsel, and I am sincerely grateful for his 40 years of distinguished service to Canada.

“Canada is fortunate to be a safe, prosperous, and peaceful country, thanks in large part to the service of the Canadian Armed Forces. I believe that Canada is the greatest country in the world – and together with General Carignan and all members of our military, our government will continue to do what is required to defend Canada and Canadians.”