Jacques Chouinard
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Jacques Chouinard, CMM
, CD
(1 October 1922 - 28 July 2008) was the Commander, Mobile Command
of the Canadian Forces
.
, Chouinard was commissioned into Royal 22e Régiment
in 1941. He served in World War II
with his Regiment in England
and Italy
.
He was made Commandant
of the School of Parachuting during the Korean war
and went on to be Commanding Officer
of the Royal 22e Régiment in 1962. He was appointed Commandant
of the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in 1968. He was then made Commander
of CFB Valcartier
and of the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
in 1970. He took command of Canadian Forces
on the streets of Montreal
in October 1970 during the October Crisis
when the Front de libération du Québec
initiated kidnapping
s.
In 1971 he took command of the 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
in Lahr
in Germany
.
In 1972 he returned to Canada
and was appointed Commander of the Mobile Command in Saint-Hubert, Quebec
. In 1973 he became Assistant to the Associate Deputy Minister (Policy) at National Defence Headquarters
. In 1975 he was promoted to Lieutenant-General and made Commander, Mobile Command
. He retired in 1977.
In retirement he became International Marketing Manager and then President of Industries Valcartier, a munitions business.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Jacques Chouinard, CMM
Order of Military Merit (Canada)
The Order of Military Merit is a military honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada...
, CD
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
(1 October 1922 - 28 July 2008) was the Commander, Mobile Command
Commander, Mobile Command
The Commander, Mobile Command was the head of the Canadian Forces Mobile Command, the former name for Canadian Forces Land Force Command. The appointment was entitled Chief of the General Staff until 1964 when the appointment became Commander, Mobile Command with the unification of Canada's...
of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
.
Military career
Educated at a College in Saint-Anne-de-la-PocatièreSainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, Quebec
Saint-Anne-de-la-Pocatière is a parish municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec, located in the Kamouraska Regional County Municipality.-Municipal council:* Mayor: Miles McCall...
, Chouinard was commissioned into Royal 22e Régiment
Royal 22e Régiment
The Royal 22nd Regiment is an infantry regiment and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the Canadian Army...
in 1941. He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with his Regiment in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
He was made Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the School of Parachuting during the Korean war
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and went on to be Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the Royal 22e Régiment in 1962. He was appointed Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in 1968. He was then made Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of CFB Valcartier
CFB Valcartier
Canadian Forces Base Valcartier is a Canadian Forces Base located in the municipality of Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, approximately north of Quebec City...
and of the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group is a Canadian Forces brigade group that is part of Land Forces Quebec Area of the Canadian army. It is based at CFB Valcartier, near Quebec City in Quebec, Canada...
in 1970. He took command of Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
on the streets of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in October 1970 during the October Crisis
October Crisis
The October Crisis was a series of events triggered by two kidnappings of government officials by members of the Front de libération du Québec during October 1970 in the province of Quebec, mainly in the Montreal metropolitan area.The circumstances ultimately culminated in the only peacetime use...
when the Front de libération du Québec
Front de libération du Québec
The Front de libération du Québec was a left-wing Quebecois nationalist and Marxist-Leninist paramilitary group in Quebec, Canada. It was active between 1963 and 1970, and was regarded as a terrorist organization for its violent methods of action...
initiated kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
s.
In 1971 he took command of the 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group was a formation of the Canadian Army, then Mobile Command of the unified Canadian Forces. The formation served as the main forward deployed land element of Canada's armed forces, and was stationed in West Germany from 1957 until it was disbanded in...
in Lahr
Lahr
Lahr is a city in western Baden-Württemberg, Germany, approximately 38 km north of Freiburg in Breisgau and 100 km south of Karlsruhe...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
In 1972 he returned to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and was appointed Commander of the Mobile Command in Saint-Hubert, Quebec
Saint-Hubert, Quebec
Saint-Hubert is a borough in the city of Longueuil, located in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada. It had been a separate city prior to January 1, 2002, when it along with several other neighbouring south shore municipalities were merged into Longueuil. According to the Quebec Statistics...
. In 1973 he became Assistant to the Associate Deputy Minister (Policy) at National Defence Headquarters
National Defence Headquarters (Canada)
The National Defence Headquarters is the headquarters for Canada's Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces. NDHQ actually comprises a collection of offices spread in buildings across the National Capital Region, however it is most commonly identified with the Major-General George R...
. In 1975 he was promoted to Lieutenant-General and made Commander, Mobile Command
Commander, Mobile Command
The Commander, Mobile Command was the head of the Canadian Forces Mobile Command, the former name for Canadian Forces Land Force Command. The appointment was entitled Chief of the General Staff until 1964 when the appointment became Commander, Mobile Command with the unification of Canada's...
. He retired in 1977.
In retirement he became International Marketing Manager and then President of Industries Valcartier, a munitions business.