What is "primary reserve"

The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the Canadian Rangers, and the Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (formerly the Cadet Instructors Cadre).

The reserve force is represented, though not commanded, at the national level by the Chief of Reserves and Cadets. This is usually a major general or .

The Primary Reserve consists of sailors, soldiers and airmen who train to the level of, and are interchangeable with, their Regular Force counterparts, as per the "total force" policy outlined in both the 1987 and 1994 Defence White Papers, and are posted to CF operations or duties on an ongoing basis. Each reserve force is operationally and administratively responsible to its corresponding environmental command; those being the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Primary reservists number approximately 26,000 (all ranks, all services). It would be difficult to overstate the importance of the reserves to sustaining CF operations, particularly following the defence budget cuts under the Chrétien government's Finance Minister Paul Martin and increased operational tempo of the 1990s, which highly strained both the Reserve's personnel and equipment.