Otter Commission

In 1919, units of the CEF, intended as a wartime expeditionary force, returned to Canada where the Canadian Militia had served during the war performing home defence duties, staffing internment camps, and raising recruits for overseas.

The CEF units were proud of their wartime record, while the pre-war Militia had long-standing roots in the community and battle honours dating back as far as the War of 1812.

By 1936, the threat of another conflict prompted the re-emergence and adoption of the last few Otter Commission recommendations that had not yet been put in place.

Some academics point to the Otter Commission as part of the reason that the Canadian Army was not fully prepared for mobilization at the start of the Second World War.

However, the number of volunteers for the reserve units fell drastically after 1920 and some non-permanent regiments existed only on paper, as they could not find enough men to fill their ranks.

In addition, the Otter Commission called for basic training and ignored the inadequate equipment and lack of mechanization within the Canadian Army after the First World War.