HALIFAX – First woman to lead Canada’s armed forces repulsed by renewed debate on women serving in combat roles linked to President-elect Trump choice for Secretary of Defense, calling it a distraction to force women to justify your contribution to defense and national security.

Gen. Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defense Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces, was speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum and responded to comments made a day earlier by Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho ), who declared women in combat The roles “create some unique situations” and called it “crazy” to think otherwise.

Risch’s comments followed questioning about Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, who pronounced against women serving in combat roles in the military and drawn repression in particular from the Democratic senators responsible for supervising his confirmation hearing.

“I would not want anyone to leave this forum with the idea that women are a distraction to defense or national security,” Carignan said, presenting his remarks as a direct rebuttal to Risch’s comments.

“After 39 years of career as a combat arms officer and risking my life in numerous operations around the world, I cannot believe that in 2024 we still have to justify the contribution of women to their defense and at their service in their country,” she added.

Carginan continued: “I wouldn’t want anyone to leave this forum with the idea that this is some sort of social experiment.”

She took command of the Canadian armed forces in July, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

His remarks mark a more direct international reaction to Trump’s appointments, where foreign officials often walk a delicate diplomatic line, emphasizing their country’s values ​​in contrast to controversies unfolding in the United States.

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