Canada. Canadian Armed Forces. Land Force Command : This command was created in October 1965 as Mobile Command with headquarters at St-Hubert, Quebec and bases at Gagetown, Montreal, Valcartier, Petawawa, London, Shilo, Suffield and Calgary. In 1995 Mobile Command was redesignated Land Force Command and plans were made for the 1997 transfer of headquarters to Ottawa. Land Force Command's purpose is to provide a combat ready general purpose force for the defence of Canada, to work in conjunction with the United States forces in the defence of North America, to support Canada's NATO commitments and to maintain a ready force for UN or peacekeeping service. It also has command and control of the Militia and Air Reserves as well as the Canadian Forces' regional responsibilities in Quebec which includes liaison with the provincial government and the training of cadets in the region.
In its early years, Mobile Command comprised three brigades, consisting of No. 1 Combat Group (originally 1 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group, (1 CIBG) at Calgary, No. 2 Combat Group (originally 2 CIBG) at Petawawa, and 5e Groupement de combat at Valcartier. The Canadian Airborne Regiment, with the Canadian Airborne Centre and 1 Field Support Services Unit, all located in Edmonton were part of the Command. The Mobile was also supported by the No. No. 10 Tactical Air Group, headquartered at St-Hubert with squadrons at Cold Lake, Bagotville and Ottawa. For training in combat tactics and arms the Command was responsible for the Combat Training Centre (including Combat Arms School) at CFB Gagetown.
On September 2, 1975 No. 10 TAG transferred to Air Command but remained under the operational control of Mobile Command. 1 Combat Group and 5e Groupement were redesignated 1 Canadian Brigade Group and 5e Groupe-Brigade du Canada, respectively, on September 8, 1977. At the same time, the Canadian Airborne Regiment moved from Edmonton to Petawawa as part of Mobile Command's newly created Special Service Force. In 1989, 1st Canadian Division was formed and placed under Mobile Command's authority. With Headquarters at CFB Kingston, Mobile Command maintained 1st Division as a divisional headquarters in waiting, to be mobilized in the case of civil or military emergency.
In 1990, the Canadian Force Bases at Toronto and Chatham, N.B. were transferred from Air Command to Mobile Command.
