Carignan expresses pride in Canadian Armed Forces without directly addressing Hegseth
Jennie CarignanChief of the Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces
Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff, Gen. Jennie Carignan, told CBC News that the cadet and instructor shown in Hegseth's post are receiving support and that she has "a lot of pride" in what the Canadian Armed Forces do, without directly addressing Hegseth's post. She said the controversy was "a topic for later."
“a lot of pride”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Did Pete Hegseth’s “this is real” post mock Canadian cadets?
On September 1, 2026, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted an image from the Vernon Cadet Training Centre showing a cadet receiving an award from an instructor, adding a Canadian flag and the words “this is real.” Canadian officials, a cadet organization, a Republican member of Congress, and George Clooney characterized the post as mocking, demeaning, or beneath the dignity of Hegseth’s office. The Pentagon stood by the post but did not specify what the caption meant.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
CBC News report by Murray Brewster on Gen. Jennie Carignan's comments, given in an interview with CBC News from a conference of defence chiefs in Victoria, B.C., about the cadet and instructor shown in Hegseth's post.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Speaking at a defence-chiefs conference in Victoria, BC.
After the quotation
No further public follow-up had been reported as of this writing.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Carignan expresses support for the affected cadets and pride in Canadian Armed Forces personnel without directly condemning Hegseth by name, a measured institutional response rather than a direct rebuke.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Pete Hegseth
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“The super butch secretary of WAR is making fun of an American ally... These are not Canadian soldiers. The Canadian Army is not a woke, Marxist polycule... So Pete Hegseth is a cretin.”Read statement
Former Canadian MP Charlie Angus says the Pentagon is "trolling Canadian teenagers who volunteer to serve our nation"
“I am not surprised that the Pentagon supports trolling Canadian teenagers who volunteer to serve our nation. We are proud of our cadets.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Carignan expresses pride in Canadian Armed Forces without directly addressing Hegseth". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-25. https://disputeindex.com/events/879-canada-s-chief-of-the-defence-staff-gen