It's simply a matter of etiquette, dignity & pride
With the firm revelation from Mr. McCreery that the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force continue to exist within the existing entity called 'Her Majesty's Canadian Armed Forces', that is to say that they subsist within the CF in the form of Maritime Command and Air Command, and given that Maritime Command is already being referred to as the Canadian Navy and Air Command as the Canadian Air Force, the recognition of the reality of the RCN and RCAF within the unified Forces should simply be done at the direction of the Minister of National Defence.
Indeed, it could be said that not using the Royal designation is, in fact, a breach of etiquette, if not protocol. The RCN and the RCAF were never abolished but re-organised. There never was any need for any reason to stop the use of the Royal designations with these forces as has been amply demonstrated with the welcome return of much of the traditional uniforms, ranks, et al to the Naval and Air forces.
All discussions related to this issue have now been rendered moot; including this petition to Parliament because it is not an issue for Parliament. The Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force exist already with the Canadian Army within the CF. It is simply a matter of identification updating and restoration.
This should be done forthwith.
Although the target of the petition may now be moot, the rationale is not. As a signatory to the petition I do not care how or by whom the traditional designations are to be restored; I simply care that it be done. Even though everyone agrees that the current titles are abominable, the government is not obliged to change anything and restoration is not certain. The government must be made to understand that the status quo is not acceptable and the petition still has a use in making that very clear.
ReplyDeleteNicely put. The campaign will continue...
ReplyDeleteYes, the petition has proved to be a very positive voice but, let's face it, it doesn't quite meet the standards of a popular uprising and after three years is not likely to achieve the kind of confident results that one would wish the government to get. Of course, I'm all in favour of appealing for as many signatories as possible.
ReplyDeleteIf McCreery is correct,and if one 'simply cares that it be done', then our strategy must, of necessity, be adjusted in line with goal. Indeed, I would submit that the onus has shifted in terms of the weight of authority in the matter. It is now not so much convincing the government why the restoration ought to be done but for someone who can claim equal authority to declare that it ought not be done and explain why it should apply in this case and not with all the other Royal desgnations granted by the Sovereign to Canadian regiments, societies and the like.
To be consistent, anyone who argues against the restoration, must then, by conviction, and for the record, demand the removal of all such Royal designations.
When the petition started the onus was on us supporters from a broad spectrum of Canadian society, to convince Parliament to legislate the RCN and RCAF back into being.
Mindful of Chaucer's words, 'It's nought good a sleeping hound wake', there was always the danger in raising this issue of the 'Royal' designation where there is much indifference in Canada to matters such as is and by association, to the monarchy itself. I was always afraid that the simple desire to restore an honour might eventually trigger a divisive debate about something that, because of it's iconic and traditional status, ought not to be reduced to populist polls or the manipulation of the same.
Now we know that we don't have to convince Parliament and, whilst I do agree that we have to convince the government, it seems logical to me that we not set off an unnecessary public debate that might well scuttle the stated goal. If we cannot convince the government soley by number, then surely we ought to appeal to their loyal and Conservative conscience.
As I stated earlier, I believe that the government, backed by the strength of Royal and Canadian protocol, and with due preparation, in consultation with National Defence, simply restore the full name. After all, no signatures were required or public polls taken for the return of the Navy's ranks and Elliot's Curl and there have been no massive demonstrations in the streets.
We shouldn't cut off our nose to spite our face.
Good point, though sometimes it's hard to arrive to definite conclusions
ReplyDeletePiddingworth,
ReplyDeleteI agree that a public debate could be counter-productive and it was not my intent to suggest one. However, I am also not naive enough to believe that the government will simply restore the titles without some prompting. For my money, there is a disturbing trend in which Conservatives all-too-willingly accept whatever re-branding the Liberals have forced upon the Country. Although I am too young to remember the flag debate, I do know that Diefenbaker and the Conservatives fought like hell to keep the Red Ensign flying proudly atop Canadian flag poles, while 20 years later Brian Mulroney was publicly paying homage to Pearson's Liberal Leaf. As another example, the Conservatives stridently denounced Canada Day as vacuous and historically bankrupt, when the Liberals underhandedly snuck it through the house, yet here I receive flyers from my Conservative MP urging me to show my patriotism by flying the Pearsonian flag on the Liberal national holiday. Call me cynical but I don't believe the government will act upon this unless some pressure is brought to bear.
Piddingworth,
ReplyDeleteI agree that a public debate could be counter-productive and it was not my intent to suggest one. However, I am also not naive enough to believe that the government will simply restore the titles without some prompting. I have witnessed a disturbing trend in which Conservatives are all-too-willingly accept whatever re-branding the Liberals have forced upon the Country. Call me cynical but I don't believe the government will act on this unless there is some pressure brought to bear.
So what is the next step?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI submitted a supportive comment here recently, but you have chosen not to post it. Why? If it is your policy to restrict this blog to a small inner circle, then you are going to alienate people like me who support RCN. Be careful.
ReplyDeleteStrange. I am the blog administrator but did not remove any comment? I think it must have been the author of this post. Let me find out for you.
ReplyDelete