History of The Royal Canadian Navy - History - Legacy

Legacy

What many think of as the modern Canadian Navy is officially known as the Canadian Forces Maritime Command (MARCOM), which was officially established 7 June 1965 as one of six functional commands which were formed under the integration reorganization of the Canadian services. The Royal Canadian Navy effectively ceased to exist February 1, 1968, when the Canadian Forces Reorganization Act was given Royal Assent. However, MARCOM, being the operational commander of the naval forces of Canada, is represented as the "Canadian Navy" and maintains many of the traditions of its predecessor. As the Canadian Monarch is the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian military, commissioned Canadian naval ships, as units of the Canadian Armed Forces, use the prefix HMCS "Her/His Majesty's Canadian Ship/Submarine," a unit designation that began with the establishment of the Royal Canadian Navy and is continued to this day under the Canadian Forces. On December 14, 2010, the Canadian Senate passed a motion urging the federal government to change the name of Canada’s naval force from Maritime Command to a title that included the word “navy.” Both "Canadian Navy" and "Royal Canadian Navy" were considered acceptable.

The government announced on August 16, 2011, that Maritime Command was to regain its former name, the Royal Canadian Navy (along with the change of name of Air Command to Royal Canadian Air Force).