Lieutenant-General Marquis Hainse, Commander of the Canadian Army, and Chief Warrant Officer Alain Guimond, Canadian Army Sergeant Major, announced changes to the General Officer Rank Insignia.

The Canadian Army is building on the momentum of the evolution of its insignia to change its General Officer insignia. This will include maple leaves in recognition of our Canadian identity, while still respecting our military heritage. The General Officers, our most senior officer ranks, will continue to wear the gorget patches, an important symbol of the Canadian Army’s historical identity.

“We are proud to announce this change as the evolution of the historical identity of the Canadian Army reinforces the link between today’s soldiers, the Cold War veterans of the unification period and previous generations of brave war heroes from the First and Second World Wars,” said LGen Hainse.
 
The transition will bring the Canadian Army General Officers shoulder rank insignia into harmony with the shoulder rank insignia of the Flag Officers of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force and lessen the chance of confusion for Canadians and our international allies.
 
“I am pleased and proud to be the first Canadian Army General Officer to wear the maple leaf insignia," said General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff. "The adoption of the maple leaf rank insignia aligns Army Generals with the rest of the Canadian Armed Forces.”
 
This transition is part of the evolution of our Canadian Army ranks which will amplify the symbology of the maple leaf in anticipation of the key anniversaries of Vimy Ridge and Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017. This change will affect only the most senior Canadian Army leaders, currently numbered at 56.