Canada's top general loses bid to lead NATO Military Committee

9/20/2026

NATO Military Committee chair: Gen. Jennie Carignan loses bid for top post Canada backs Carignan as NATO leaders pick Breuer; see what the vote means

Canada's chief of the defence staff, Gen. Jennie Carignan, has lost her bid to become chair of NATO's Military Committee, the alliance's top military advisory body. NATO's senior military leaders chose Germany's Gen. Carsten Breuer in a secret ballot on Saturday. The vote had been supported by the federal government, and Carignan would have been the first woman to lead the committee in NATO's history. She is also the first Canadian in nearly 20 years to have been considered for the role. Carignan congratulated Breuer after the election and said she looked forward to continuing to work with him and other allies. Defence Minister David McGuinty said the government was proud of her candidacy and that she will remain part of NATO's senior military leadership.