Conservatives Recant on Plan to Change Lyrics to 'O Canada

In the Throne Speech of March 3, 2010 the Conservative Government promised to examine the official words for Canada’s national anthem, specifically looking at making changes to one line.  If the change was adopted, the lyrics “in all thy sons command” would revert to the 1908 original “Thou dost in us command.”   According to Industry Minister Tony Clement, the government had received some complaints about the official line and a suggestion that more gender-neutral wording be found.

The debate began immediately.  The Daily Planet, published by journalism students at Humber College in Toronto, quoted University of Toronto faculty member Paula Bourne as saying, “I don’t think the word ‘sons’ is embracing women.  For many years we’ve tried to make our language more gender-neutral and in many ways we have. We now talk about firefighters as opposed to firemen and letter carriers and so on. It makes sense that our own national anthem is also seen as being gender-neutral and inclusive of all.” 

Support for the change also came from the leaders of both the Liberal and New Democratic Parties and many of their MP’s.  NDP MP Irene Mathyssen said she's been advocating the change for a long time.  Even Andrew Cohen, president of Historica Institute, which promotes Canadian history, supported changing the lyrics.  He told the Canadian Press “We think if you can modernize the anthem by returning to the past, it's a wonderful thing.  But if you can modernize it simply by having to make a change that is inoffensive, we're for it.”

Then the Canadian public spoke up and within 48 hours the Conservatives did an about face.  In a non-scientific but telling poll on Canada AM, 91% of Canadians expressed opposition to making any changes to the national anthem.  Many expressed surprise at the timing of the idea – the Vancouver Olympics had lifted O Canada to unprecedented popularity.  According to Dimitri Soudas, spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, “We offered to hear from Canadians on this issue and they have already spoken loud and clear.  They overwhelmingly do not want to open the issue. The government will not proceed any further to change our national anthem.”

The music for O Canada was written by Quebec composer Calixa Lavallee with French lyrics by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. It was introduced on St. Jean Baptiste Day, June 24, 1880.  In 1908 Mr. Justice Stanley Weir wrote English lyrics. In 1980, the Centennial of the original composition of O Canada, the song officially became Canada’s national anthem by an act of Parliament.  Although there had been a variety of English lyrics written over the years by a variety of lyricists, it was Weir’s words that won the day.  In order to make the song less repetitive, two of the “stand on guard” phrases were replaced with “from far and wide” and “God keep our land.”  The original Routhier French lyrics remain unchanged.

O Canada is unique among national anthems in that it is a hymn.  The original Weir poem has four verses:

"O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love thou dost in us command.
We see thee rising fair, dear land,
The True North, strong and free;
And stand on guard, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.

Refrain
O Canada! O Canada!
O Canada! We stand on guard for thee.
O Canada! We stand on guard for thee.

O Canada! Where pines and maples grow.
Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow.
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western Sea,
Thou land of hope for all who toil!
Thou True North, strong and free!

O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies
May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise,
To keep thee steadfast through the years
From East to Western Sea,
Our own beloved native land!
Our True North, strong and free!

Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion within thy loving care;
Help us to find, O God, in thee
A lasting, rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard.

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