Navy executive curl
Shelley Lipke
Staff writer
It's called the navy executive curl.
But just what is it, and why has parliament voted to bring it back?
Way back when the Canadian Navy was Royal, officers sported a braided curl on the sleeve of their uniform jacket. In 1968, when the CF was amalgamated, the uniform changed to green and the curl was left off; even when the distinctive environmental uniforms were re-introduced in the 1980s, the stripes returned but not the curl.
Guy Lauzon, MP for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, felt the navy uniform had lost a very unique tradition, and in light of the Naval Centennial, felt it was time to bring back the curl.
On March 5, he presented his Private Members Motion in the House of Commons.
"I believe the timing of the motion is significant and important as well. With the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy, what better time to right this wrong and reincorporate the executive curl into the uniform of the navy? That is why I am here today to ask the House to support my efforts. This motion is aimed to give the navy back part of its identity lost in 1968 and to support the men and women of the Canadian Forces."
With 100 per cent support from all parties, his motion passed.
"The tradition of the navy incorporating the executive curl is a long one. In 1856, the Royal Navy instituted an executive curl and when the Canadian Navy was created in 1910, it adopted the curl as well. In fact, of the 22 countries in the Commonwealth who maintain a navy, 18 of them incorporate the executive curl into their ranking system. This loss of the executive curl on the navy uniform meant a loss of some of the identity of the navy," said Lauzon.
The executive curl can be incorporated into the current uniform by being embroidered onto the sleeve above the uppermost gold bar. Lauzon doesn't know when the change will be implemented to the officer's uniforms.
"The Canadian Forces members are very supportive and grateful. I believe it will be very well received," he said. "To many historians, military enthusiast and our veterans, this is just a small token to show our respect and appreciation."
