Gender-neutral change for Canada’s national anthem

The lyrics of Canada’s national anthem could soon change, ever so slightly. The House of Commons has passed a bill that will change the line in the first verse of “O Canada” from “True patriot love, in all thy sons command,” to a gender-neutral “in all of us command.” The bill was not introduced by the governing Liberal Party, but was a private bill introduced by an individual Member of Parliament (MP), Mauril Belanger–a Liberal who represents the Ottawa-Vanier constituency. This was Belanger’s second attempt with the bill; it was defeated the last time. There is however a sense of legacy and urgency with his effort this time though. Belanger was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) late in 2015 and his health has declined rapidly since then. He was present in the House for the final and third reading vote but is now confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak.

Several Conservative MPs voted against the Belanger bill, wanting to keep the “sons” in “O Canada.” Their arguments include that the word sons was inserted in 1913 out of respect for soldiers fighting in World War I when Canadians fought as a separate unit for the first time in the famous Battle of Vimy Ridge. Before then, the lyrics were the gender neutral yet rather cumbersome to sing “true patriot love, thou dost in us command.” There’s a problem with that argument, though. World War I did not begin until 1914 and the Battle of Vimy Ridge did not happen until 1917.

The 1913 reference to fighting sons commanding our patriotism was not the first variation of “O Canada.” The music was written in 1880 by Quebec City composer Calixa Lavallée and the French lyrics by Sir Adolphe-Basil Routhier. Lavallée has a village in southern Quebec named after him. Originally called “Chant Nationale,” “O Canada” was actually commissioned for the 1880 St. Jean Baptiste day (Quebec’s provincial holiday) celebrations in Quebec City. The song was very popular in Quebec but among Anglophone Canadians of mostly British heritage, “God Save The Queen” (or King) and “The Maple Leaf Forever” were usually used as unofficial national anthems. The first English lyrics did not appear until 1901 in Toronto, as a patriotic religious hymn for choral performance written by Thomas B. Richardson.

In 1909, the Canadian edition of Collier’s magazine held a contest to create an English version of “O Canada.” The winner from the 350 entries was written by Mrs. Mercy E. Powell McCulloch. Mrs. McCulloch’s version may have won the top prize, but the popularity of her song didn’t last. Ewing Buchan, a Vancouver bank manager wrote a version for a service club he was a member of and it became popular on Canada’s west coast. The Buchan lyrics are printed as an alternative version in the 1936 edition of the Anglican (Episcopal) Church of Canada’s hymnal. Anglicans aside, the Buchan version didn’t gain widespread popularity.

The English lyrics that did stick were written in 1908 by Montreal lawyer Robert Stanley Weir. There are actually four verses and the first verse is usually the only one ever sung.

With this imminent change in our national anthem, could Canadians expect further changes to it in the future? The French version contains far more militaristic and Christian lyrics than the English version. Canada isn’t a particularly militaristic country, and a changing society has lessened the prominence of religion of any form. The pre-1980 English lyrics did not contain the line “God keep our land, glorious and free” in the refrain, but rather just said “O Canada, glorious and free.” The addition is reminiscent of adding “One nation, under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance in the US back in 1954.

Making “O Canada” the official national anthem was an 18-year ordeal. There were 12 attempts to pass legislation in Parliament starting in 1962. Finally, in 1980, The National Anthem Act was passed. Over the past 20 years, other legislators have attempted gender-neutralize “O Canada” by removing “in all thy sons command.” Now that Belanger’s bill has been passed by the elected House of Commons, it goes on to the unelected (that’s a topic for another time) Senate. With the summer recess nearing, it isn’t likely to be passed or defeated in the Senate until September.

Here’s Anne Murray singing “O Canada” entirely in English at the opening of the Toronto Skydome (now the Rogers Centre) stadium when it opened in 1989.

O Canada: current English lyrics

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts, we see thee rise, the True North, strong and free;
From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Refrain

God keep our land, glorious and free
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!
(Refrain)

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!
(Refrain)

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.
(Refrain)

Tags: canada, gender neutral, Mauril Belanger, national anthem