Prominent feminists have launched the “Restore Our Anthem” campaign to bring inclusive language to the national anthem. Among the notable people calling for the change are author Margaret Atwood and former Prime Minister Kim Campbell. The campaign seeks to change the wording from “in all thy sons command” with the gender neutral “in all of us command.”
But the Canadian Secular Alliance has urged a further restoration — to omit references to God because “God keep our land” was added later to the original 1908 English lyrics by Robert Stanley Weir in one of many subsequent revisions.
“The Canadian Secular Alliance believes that in a pluralistic, liberal democracy like Canada, the government should take no official position on whether God exists, or which organized religion speaks on His behalf if He does,” says the alliance’s web site. “As a secular nation, Canadian public institutions — including its national anthem — should reflect that fact.”
“I would have no objection to the relatively minor change that would make it gender-inclusive, especially since it appears to be closer to the original ‘thou dost in us command,’ ” said Catholic Civil Rights League executive director Joanne McGarry. “I feel even more strongly that the reference to God should remain, as it helps reflect the role that faith has played, and continues to play, in the development of Canada and indeed in the lives of Canadians.”
The Restore our Anthem campaign is, however, not advocating a pure restoration of the original words. Instead, its web site describes the anthem, adopted officially in 1980, as “a living document much like many of the other symbols of Canada that have been amended over time to reflect present day.”
“O Canada is something that represents our country on a global scale and should therefore be inclusive and indicative of our population and our attitude towards them,” the Restore Our Anthem web site says. “Restoring the anthem to reflect its original version is the simplest way to encapsulate the equality of all Canadians.”
“I think that it’s a sad commentary on the part of those pushing for these changes,” said Priests for Life Canada president Fr. John Lemire from Ontario’s Timmins diocese. “It is another attempt, on the part of the few, to push faith out of the public square.
“Today’s anthem reflects the rich heritage of our country and is something that the vast majority of Canadians hold sacred,” he said. “I also don’t think there is an appetite, on the part of most Canadians, to tamper with it as evident a few years ago with the outcry that the Conservative government would look at the wording.”
In 2010, Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth, who is among the high profile women leading the Restore Our Anthem campaign, led a campaign to change the Canadian anthem. Prime Minister Stephen Harper supported Ruth to the extent changes were mentioned in that year’s Speech from the Throne.
However, the pushback was so vehement — with polls showing 75 per cent of Canadians opposed to any changes — the government dropped the idea.
Lemire thinks only a small minority of women feel excluded by the anthem’s language.
“I believe the vast majority of Canadian females do not feel excluded because of the use of the word ‘sons,’ ” he said. “They are smart enough to be able to recognize the historical times it was written in and know that it is inclusive today as we also find in the translation of the creed at Mass.”
Campaign Life Coalition lobbyist Johanne Brownrigg agrees.
“I think what’s most telling about this initiative is the reaction of the Canadian public that is overwhelmingly against this change,” she said. “Enough is enough is the sense I get. It’s resounding opposition, not just mild.”
Meanwhile, in Quebec there is no push to change the far more Catholic lyrics of the national anthem’s French version, nor is there an appetite to remove the crucifix from the national assembly. The Parti Quebecois’ proposed Charter of Quebec Values that would strip the rights of religious persons to wear identifying clothing or symbols of their faith while working in the public sector would keep the crucifix as an historical, cultural artifact reflecting Quebec’s past.
“The anthem is beautiful in French,” said Brownrigg. “Quebec is the epitome of cultural Catholicism. Quebeckers want to maintain the crucifix in the national assembly, and keep the anthem as window dressing.”
However, on Oct. 1, three women from the group FEMEN — representing a younger demographic than the Restore Our Anthem feminists — protested against the National Assembly’s crucifix during Question Period by baring their breasts. Security guards quickly removed the women.