World

Canadian Tories Keep National Anthem as Is: O Canada Unchanged

by Barry ORegan | March 6, 2010 at 09:01 am

276 views | 16 Recommendations | 4 comments

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative party have decided to keep the Canadian national anthem "O Canada" unchanged.

Last week there was talk the Conservative government was considering revising the century old national anthem to make it gender neutral.

Many felt in lieu of the Canadian women dominating the Vancouver 2010 Olympics that a change to the national anthem was needed to reflect the female role in Canada. NDP Olivia Chow's recommended of inserting daughters into "All our son's and daughter's command."

Senator Nancy Ruth, a self-professed feminist, feels that Canada’s unwillingness to adapt to the gender neutral terminology is tantamount to "a hatred against women."

Margaret Mead, a noted anthropologist once said “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

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Albert Milliron

at 10:43 on March 6th, 2010

Barry,

Good deal.. just when some of us where learning the words... cool

I heard on CBC where folks were saying lets remove the gender component.. ok I understand but then folks were saying.. take out the ref to God while you are at it and put in a Ref to the First nations.. before long there would be a whole new song. I am glad that it will remain the same. Not that I don't understand the folks who want to de-gender the words.. in theology we had a push in the 80s to de-gender the Bible.. no more calling God Him etc. Man means men and woman...

That's one small step for man, a giant leap for man kind means all people.

Woman means from Man... we would have to change everything, roots and all

Barry ORegan

at 20:39 on March 6th, 2010

So true AL, I hope this story of mine get a wider response from people incensed as I am over this,as much as one needs to report a story as nothing personal, Senator Ruth made it personal against all Canadians.

marianmo

at 13:10 on March 6th, 2010

i am woman hear me roar!!!!!!

Barry ORegan

at 20:38 on March 6th, 2010

Thanks Marianmo,

I thought this photo of the Iranian woman is quite appropriate when compared to Senator Ruth and other armchair political feminists, who sit in their comfy home and postulate on women's rights and can freely protest on the streets and in the media in a democratic country like Canada and have no fear of reprisals like this Iranian woman will face. Many people take Canada for granted, thinking oh poor me, well take a gander at the world around us puts things into perspective, and this pompous Senator is whining about Word placement modification in our national anthem? Gimme a friggin break!

Wanna talk feminism, in fact, wanna talk guts, this Iranian woman put both sexes to shame. Will world history remember this woman, will women and young girls see her as a role model? Lets hope this photo gets around Canada and the US so people will know there are empowered women around like this woman. Nothing more needs to be said when this picture says it all.