Lieutenant-General J. C. "Jim" Gervais 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...

 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

Born at Rouyn-Noranda and educated at the University of Ottawa

University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...

, Gervais graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada

Royal Military College of Canada

The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...

 in 1962. He later attended the Royal Military College of Science

Defence College of Management and Technology

The Defence Academy - College of Management and Technology is a British postgraduate school, research institution and training provider formed in 2009 from five departments of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, and as such part of the British Armed Forces. Since 1984 Cranfield University...

 in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

.

He was appointed 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 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...

 at 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 then Chief of Personnel and Senior Appointments 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 1991 he was appointed 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...

 in which role he carried out a restructuring of the Land Forces.

In retirement he became Deputy Secretary for Honours to the Governor-General of Canada. In 2008 he became Chairman of Northern Gold Mining.