Canada's Conservative government, stressing traditional ties to the Queen and the monarchy, is reinstating the names Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Canadian Navy after a gap of 43 years.
The Liberals removed the "royal" designation in 1968 when they amalgamated the branches of service and called the military the Canadian Forces.
General Walter Natynczyk, chief of the defence staff, announced the decision to bring back the word "royal" for the official names of the two branches of the military in a memo posted on Monday on the military discussion site Milnet.ca.
The initiative to restore the names of Canada's former services "is aimed at restoring an important and recognisable part of Canada's military heritage," Gen Natynczyk said.
"These were the services that fought and emerged victorious from the Second World War and Korea and contributed to the defence of Europe and North America from the early days of the Cold War. These were also the services that paved the way in terms of international peacekeeping missions."
Peter MacKay, the defence minister, and other Conservative members of Parliament have scheduled what they describe as "significant" announcements on Canada's military history on Tuesday.
The Queen is Canada's head of state, and a tour by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last month revived interest in the monarchy.
"I think Canadians in general are going to be quite pleased and quite happy to have a little piece of their history back," said Robert Finch, chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada.
General Walter Natynczyk, chief of the defence staff, announced the decision to bring back the word "royal" for the official names of the two branches of the military in a memo posted on Monday on the military discussion site Milnet.ca.
The initiative to restore the names of Canada's former services "is aimed at restoring an important and recognisable part of Canada's military heritage," Gen Natynczyk said.
"These were the services that fought and emerged victorious from the Second World War and Korea and contributed to the defence of Europe and North America from the early days of the Cold War. These were also the services that paved the way in terms of international peacekeeping missions."
Peter MacKay, the defence minister, and other Conservative members of Parliament have scheduled what they describe as "significant" announcements on Canada's military history on Tuesday.
The Queen is Canada's head of state, and a tour by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last month revived interest in the monarchy.
"I think Canadians in general are going to be quite pleased and quite happy to have a little piece of their history back," said Robert Finch, chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada.
