To commemorate the centenary of the Canadian navy, Canada Post has issued a couple of handsome postage stamps. They seem to be discouraging copying, though you can see them here, so I've put up the coin on the same subject instead.

Historian Michael Hatley, responding to a suggestion that the navy become once again "RCN, the Royal Canadian Navy," has a thoughtful, historical letter (scroll down to "At Sea on Naval History" -- tho' Camille Paglia's letter is a hoot, too) in today's Globe and Mail. Hatley cites the historical work that emphasizing the Canadian navy's decades of struggle to emancipate itself from British tutelage and be a truly Canadian navy. He's not much for the "Royal," let us say.  Naval centennial site here.

Speaking of stamps, I once had a gig writing brief essays about new Canadian stamps on historical themes. Once in a while, spotting intriguing new issues at the postal kiosk at the back of the card shop (ok, I still buy a stamp from time to time), I wish I still had it. Case in point: the recent "Indian Kings" issue, commemorating the 300th anniversary of the portraits done of four Mohawk emissaries visiting London in 1710.