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The debate over what to call Islamic extremists who have overrun large portions of Iraq and Syria has been raging since the group, calling itself the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, emerged in force in 2014.

Presidential candidate Donald Trump has criticized U.S. President Barack Obama for referring to the group as ISIL. Some political commentators say using the ISIL moniker indicates the group has more sway over a larger area than it actually does.

The Liberal government announced earlier this month it would use the term Daesh, an Arabic acronym for the group that, depending on how it is used, can be considered an insult. Daesh has been adopted by U.S. State Department officials and the French and British governments.

But it wasn’t Canada’s first choice. In April 2015, the Privy Council Office ordered the Canadian Forces and the DND to switch from ISIL to ISIS. That sparked confusion and debate in emails between military public affairs officers, according to the documents obtained under the Access to Information law.

One of the main issues was determining a French acronym. One officer noted “le groupe d’EI” was going to be adopted. DND translators, however, said the proper term would be “du group EI.” Lorna Bonvie of the Privy Council Office weighed in with the proper terminology in French: “l’Etat islamique en Irak et en Syrie (EIIS).” A French version of a Canadian Forces statement issued in April 2015 used “du groupe de l’EIIS.”