The Chief of the General Staff of the Canadian Army, General Jennie Carignan, publicly criticized the candidate for US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, put forward by US President-elect Donald Trump. He believes that women and men should not serve together in frontline units.
Carignan spoke at the International Security Forum in Halifax. She said that after 39 years of serving in the military in combat positions, in various countries, where she risked her life, “she cannot believe that in 2024 we have to justify the participation of women (…) in the service of their country,” she was quoted by The Canadian Press , adding that the Canadian general's speech was received with standing applause
“All women in uniform must be appreciated.”
The American ABC television also quoted him as saying that “I don't want anyone after the forum to be left with the idea that this is some kind of social experiment.” – All these women in uniform who are here, choosing to take risks and fight to defend their countries, must be appreciated for what they do – said the Canadian general.
Jennie CarignanKelly Clark / Zuma Press / Forum
Carignan was referring to a comment by Republican senator from Idaho Jim Risch. Risch told an audience of about 300 people at the Forum in Halifax on Friday that “no ruling has been made” on how to deal with “special situations” that arise because women are in combat, adding that ultimately it should be up to the military to decide in this case.
Trump's nominee on women in the military
Risch was referring to the opinion of Pete Hegseth, the president-elect's nominee for defense secretary USA Donald Trump.
He is a former military man who said that women and men should not serve together in combat units, and two weeks ago he said in a podcast that the presence of women makes combat “more complicated” and although he sees a place for women in the army, it is not in special operations , artillery, infantry or units using armored vehicles.
Pete HegsethAlbin Lohr-Jones/EPA/PAP
Carignan has been the new chief of the general staff of the Canadian army since July. She commanded, among others: engineers, and also managed emergency operations during the Quebec floods when the army was deployed to help. In 2008, she was the first woman in the history of the Canadian army to command military units at the front, then served in Afghanistan, Syria, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She also led the NATO mission in Iraq in 2019 and 2020
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Main photo source: Kelly Clark / Zuma Press / Forum