Group wants to bring back gender-neutral ‘O Canada’
Posted Oct 1, 2013 07:38:51 AM.
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Author Margaret Atwood is among the list of notable Canadian women who want to re-word “O Canada” to make it more gender neutral — true to its original version.
The group wants the words, “in all thy sons command” changed to “thou dost in us command.”
In 1913, the lyrics of Robert Stanley Weir’s original English version of “O Canada,” were changed from “thou dost in us command” to “in all thy sons command.” There was no documented reason for the change.
“The words ‘all thy sons command’ in the English national anthem suggests that only male loyalty is being invoked,” Atwood said in a release.
“Restoring these lyrics to gender-neutral is not only an easy fix to make our anthem inclusive for all Canadians, but it’s also long overdue.”
The group, including former prime minister Kim Campbell and the mother of the first female Canadian soldier killed in combat in Afghanistan, said they merely want to restore the original English lyrics.
Canadians can have their say online at restoreouranthem.ca.
