NATO defence chiefs to decide whether to tap Gen. Carignan for senior NATO post

NATO defence chiefs are deliberating over whether to appoint General Jennie Carignan, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff, to a senior position within the alliance. The meeting is taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark, where they will decide on the next chair of the military committee. General Carignan is up against German General Carsten Breuer for the top NATO position, which is a prestigious posting, though not as influential as the supreme allied commander role, typically held by an American.

Only three Canadians have ever served as chair of the military committee, the last being during the Afghanistan war in the mid-2000s. If General Carignan wins, she would become the first woman to hold the position, and would also have to step down as leader of Canada's military, a role she has held since 2024. The current military chair, Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, is set to leave his post next year.

Defence Minister David McGuinty expressed confidence in General Carignan, noting her "enormous credibility" and her active outreach to NATO alliance member countries. He stated that he supported her campaign, having written letters to various ministers endorsing her as a strong candidate.