Canada taps Gen. Jennie Carignan for NATO's top military chair

The Liberal government is nominating Canada's top military commander to be the next chair of the NATO military committee when the post becomes vacant next year.

Defence Minister David McGuinty announced the candidacy of Gen. Jennie Carignan on Wednesday and said she'll continue in her current role until next year.

An election for the post will be held in September.

The current chair, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone of the Italian navy, is expected to finish his term next summer.

Dragone serves as the senior military adviser to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and is the principal conduit for all military advice from the chiefs of defence of the 32 NATO member countries.

The chair position was last held by a Canadian — retired general Ray Henault — in the early 2000s.

Carignan has been Canada's chief of the defence staff since the summer of 2024 and, while there's no fixed term, the position is usually held for three years.

McGuinty said Canada's nomination reflects its enduring commitment to the Western military alliance.

"Canada remains unwavering in its commitment to NATO," the minister said in a statement. "General Carignan is an exceptional military leader whose experience, judgment, and deep commitment to allied collaboration make her an outstanding candidate to serve as the next chair of the NATO military committee."

The position is different from that of supreme allied commander, who is responsible for the overall direction and conduct of all NATO military operations. That post is usually held by an American general.

All of the chiefs of defence staff for NATO nations are currently meeting in Brussels, and the alliance’s foreign ministers are due to meet this week in Sweden.

The move comes as NATO wrestles with political friction and fears in Europe that the United States is preparing to draw down its presence.