{"id":682903,"date":"2026-05-20T22:58:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T22:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/682903\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T22:58:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T22:58:12","slug":"politics-insider-ottawa-nominates-chief-of-defence-staff-for-key-nato-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/682903\/","title":{"rendered":"Politics Insider: Ottawa nominates chief of defence staff for key NATO role"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let\u2019s look at what happened today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Prime Minister Mark Carney\u2019s government is putting forward the country\u2019s top soldier as Canada\u2019s candidate for the senior military post at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/topics\/nato\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/topics\/nato\/\" target=\"_blank\">North Atlantic Treaty Organization<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Defence Minister David McGuinty said today that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-jennie-carignan-chief-of-defence-staff\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-jennie-carignan-chief-of-defence-staff\/\" target=\"_blank\">General Jennie Carignan<\/a>, Chief of the Defence Staff, is Ottawa\u2019s nominee for the position of chair of the NATO Military Committee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Steven Chase reports that the term of the current chair, Italy\u2019s Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, is expected to conclude in mid-2027, according to the Canadian government, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-canadas-top-soldier-to-run-for-senior-military-post-at-nato\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-canadas-top-soldier-to-run-for-senior-military-post-at-nato\/\">an election for his successor is planned for September, 2026<\/a>, during the NATO Military Committee Conference in Copenhagen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">The chair of the NATO Military Committee is the Western alliance\u2019s most senior military role, serving as the principal military adviser to the Secretary-General who heads the 32-member body.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Carignan has served as Canada\u2019s chief of the defence staff since 2024 and has held senior leadership roles across the Canadian Armed Forces during her more than 40 years in uniform.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">The Canadian government said Carignan will remain as chief of the defence staff as the process to pick this NATO chair position unfolds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Over the course of NATO\u2019s history, only three Canadians have headed the military committee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">In other news, Bill Curry reports that public funding from all levels of government to support this summer\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/topics\/fifa-world-cup\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/topics\/fifa-world-cup\/\" target=\"_blank\">World Cup<\/a> events in Canada will exceed $1-billion, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-public-funding-to-host-fifa-world-cup-to-exceed-1-billion-pbo-says\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-public-funding-to-host-fifa-world-cup-to-exceed-1-billion-pbo-says\/\">according to an analysis released today by the Parliamentary Budget Officer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbo-dpb.ca\/en\/publications\/NT-2627-007-S--federal-financial-support-2026-fifa-men-world-cup--aide-financiere-federale-coupe-monde-masculine-fifa-2026?utm_source=posto&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=NT-2627-007-S\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.pbo-dpb.ca\/en\/publications\/NT-2627-007-S--federal-financial-support-2026-fifa-men-world-cup--aide-financiere-federale-coupe-monde-masculine-fifa-2026?utm_source=posto&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=NT-2627-007-S\" target=\"_blank\">report<\/a> says the federal contribution announced to date is $473-million, while the remaining $593-million will come from other levels of government, for a total of $1.06-billion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">The report cautions that some uncertainty remains about the funding amounts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Canada will co-host the FIFA Men\u2019s World Cup with the United States and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The World Cup will include 104 soccer games, of which seven will be played in Vancouver and six in Toronto.<\/p>\n<p><a style=\"display:block\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/resizer\/v2\/7ZQ7J56Z5VBBBADTK3YFZ4XUEM.JPG?auth=e43f7902117bad9edf38c7cc4f2b21c959076985d4cc34e8676c7fa25427f654&amp;width=600&amp;height=400&amp;quality=80&amp;smart=true\" aria-haspopup=\"true\" data-photo-viewer-index=\"0\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"figcap-text\">Jennie Carignan speaks to reporters in March. Defence Minister David McGuinty says Carignan will be Canada&#8217;s nominee for chair of the NATO Military Committee.Spencer Colby\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n<p>This is the daily Politics Insider newsletter, curated by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/authors\/ian-bailey\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ian Bailey<\/a>. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. You can sign up for more than 20 other newsletters on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/newsletters\/?utm_source=Arcnewsletter&amp;utm_medium=onsite&amp;utm_campaign=fixed_positions&amp;utm_term=signuppage&amp;utm_content=politics_promo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">our signup page<\/a>.What else is going on<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Canada <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-canada-summons-israels-ambassador-over-handling-of-activists-on-gaza\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-canada-summons-israels-ambassador-over-handling-of-activists-on-gaza\/\">summons Israel\u2019s ambassador<\/a> over handling of activists on Gaza aid flotilla: The flotilla, whose passengers included Canadians, was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/gaza-aid-flotilla-says-israeli-forces-intercepted-41-vessels-10-still-sailing-2026-05-19\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">intercepted<\/a> by Israeli forces in international waters on Tuesday and later taken to an Israeli port.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Global Affairs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/canada\/article-global-affairs-foreign-service-cuts\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/canada\/article-global-affairs-foreign-service-cuts\/\">is cutting overseas jobs<\/a> at three times the rate of those based in Canada, data show: Data obtained by The Canadian Press also show an even larger drop in foreign workers hired at missions overseas, just as the Carney government seeks deeper diplomatic and trade ties with other countries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Poilievre\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-poilievres-inner-circle-shrinks-again-with-chief-of-staff-departure\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-poilievres-inner-circle-shrinks-again-with-chief-of-staff-departure\/\">inner circle shrinks again<\/a> with chief of staff\u2019s departure: Chief of staff Ian Todd has announced his retirement weeks after Katy Merrifield, who was Poilievre\u2019s director of communications, revealed that she was leaving Ottawa to return home to B.C.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Newfoundland and Labrador Premier <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/article-newfoundland-quebec-churchill-river-energy-deal-mou-tony-wakeham\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/article-newfoundland-quebec-churchill-river-energy-deal-mou-tony-wakeham\/\">seeks new deal with Quebec<\/a> on Churchill River energy: Tony Wakeham\u2019s stand will prompt a renegotiation of an agreement trumpeted by the two provinces barely 17 months ago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">CSIS says transnational investigations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-csis-says-transnational-investigations-are-being-hindered-by-canadas\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-csis-says-transnational-investigations-are-being-hindered-by-canadas\/\">are being hindered<\/a> by Canada\u2019s lack of lawful-access powers: In a rare on-the-record briefing, the deputy director of policy and strategic partnerships at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said that, in one instance, the agency was unable to respond to a request from a \u201clike-minded\u201d foreign intelligence partner to identify suspects found to have Canadian phone numbers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Family of plasma donor who died <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/canada\/article-plasma-donation-winnipeg-grifols-investigation-record-inconsistencies\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/canada\/article-plasma-donation-winnipeg-grifols-investigation-record-inconsistencies\/\">calls for investigation<\/a> over record inconsistencies: The office of Manitoba\u2019s chief medical examiner says it supports Health Canada\u2019s findings that the woman\u2019s death coincided with, but did not result from, her plasma donation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">In the fields, on the manufacturing floor: Robert K. Irving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/economy\/article-robert-k-irving-obituary-manufacturing\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/economy\/article-robert-k-irving-obituary-manufacturing\/\">loved to be `where the action was\u2019: <\/a>The maritime business leader died Tuesday, leaving behind a lasting legacy for Canadian farming and for the frozen-potato industry.<\/p>\n<p>On our radar<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Commons on a break: The Commons is on a break until May 25. The Senate is also on a break until May 26.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Prime Minister\u2019s Day: In Vancouver, Mark Carney delivered remarks to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and participated in a featured conversation. After the event, Carney met with B.C. Premier David Eby.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Party Leaders: In her British Columbia riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May met with constituents, and is attending an evening annual general meeting of the Peninsula Streams Society in Victoria. No schedules released for other party leaders. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Ministers on the Road: With the House of Commons on a break, ministers are travelling across the country and elsewhere in the world.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is in Estonia on a European trip that has included stops in Latvia and concludes in Sweden on Friday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">In Iqaluit, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson announced funding for critical-minerals projects in the territory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">In Fort McMurray, Alta., Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski marked the 10th anniversary of a major wildfire in the region and made an announcement related to disaster recovery funding in Alberta.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">In Toronto, Defence Minister David McGuinty delivered a keynote address at the CIBC Defence and Resiliency Summit, an inaugural gathering for the Canadian defence sector. He also participated in a short fireside session.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">In Regina, Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and secretary of state for small business and tourism, highlighted a two-year extension of alcohol excise duty relief for brewers, distillers and winemakers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">In Toronto, Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon attended an event at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marsdd.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.marsdd.com\/\">MaRS Discovery District<\/a> with King Felipe VI of Spain, alongside Carlos Cuerpo, Spain\u2019s deputy prime minister and economy minister, to formalize co-operation in artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<p>Quote of the Day<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">\u201cI\u2019m touched that you all allocated your time to come and listen to me this morning. I hope you\u2019re not regretting it.\u201d &#8211; Mark Carney, during a fireside chat at an event held by the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. <\/p>\n<p>Question period<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">What was the \u201cNo\u201d result in the Quebec sovereignty referendum held 46 years ago today?<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.<\/p>\n<p>PerspectivesThe hantavirus outbreak <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/opinion\/article-the-hantavirus-outbreak-should-be-canadas-wake-up-call\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/opinion\/article-the-hantavirus-outbreak-should-be-canadas-wake-up-call\/\">should be Canada\u2019s wake-up call<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"ma-0\">The world entering the 2030s will not be defined only by conventional geopolitical conflict, but by cascading systemic threats: emerging pathogens, climate-driven ecological disruption, cyberattacks, supply-chain fragility, synthetic biology and increasingly accessible technologies capable of catastrophic harm.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Kirsten Wright is managing director of the Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Doug Ford <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/commentary\/article-doug-ford-billy-bishop-airport-expansion\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/commentary\/article-doug-ford-billy-bishop-airport-expansion\/\">is right to expand Billy Bishop airport<\/a> and bring it, and Toronto, to new heights<\/p>\n<p class=\"ma-0\">There may be much to criticize about how Premier Doug Ford is carrying out his expansion plan. He\u2019d moved unilaterally, sidelining the city of Toronto, and his government could not answer simple questions on the technical details. But the underlying idea is not just sound but transformational.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Richard Florida is university professor at the University of Toronto, visiting distinguished professor at Vanderbilt University, and visiting distinguished fellow at the Kresge Foundation. He authored a 2023 report on Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport commissioned by PortsToronto.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Canada <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/commentary\/article-canada-is-not-an-energy-superpower-and-shouldnt-pretend-to-be-one\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/commentary\/article-canada-is-not-an-energy-superpower-and-shouldnt-pretend-to-be-one\/\">is not an energy superpower<\/a> and shouldn\u2019t pretend to be one<\/p>\n<p class=\"ma-0\">Though we are a major energy exporter, a closer look at our infrastructure and mutual energy dependence with the U.S. reveals that we do not have as much leverage as we think.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Joe Calnan is vice-president, energy and Calgary operations, at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.Go deeper<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">Got a news tip that you\u2019d like us to look into? E-mail us at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-politics-insider-ottawa-nominates-chief-of-defence-staff-for-key-nato\/mailto:tips@globeandmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">tips@globeandmail.com<\/a>. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via <a href=\"https:\/\/sec.theglobeandmail.com\/securedrop\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">SecureDrop<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-article-body__text text-pr-5\">The answer to today\u2019s question: The referendum, brought forward by the Parti Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois government, on whether the province should work toward sovereignty was defeated with 59.56 per cent voting \u201cNo,\u201d while 40.44 per cent supported the idea. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let\u2019s look at what happened today. Prime Minister Mark Carney\u2019s government is putting&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":682904,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194295],"tags":[49,48,1412,2922,1398,20739],"class_list":["post-682903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ottawa","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-newsletter","tag-noastack","tag-nodelphi","tag-ottawa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=682903"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682903\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/682904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=682903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=682903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=682903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}