Keep the Canadian anthem as it is!!

I just watched the Speech from the Throne and one unexpected thing that Prime Minister Stephen Harper said was "Our Government will also ask Parliament to examine the original gender-neutral English wording of the national anthem." Harper is referring to original version of O Canada which says "True patriot love thou dost in us command". The current (better) version of the anthem says "True patriot love, in all thy sons command."

Let's keep the national anthem as it is. It is Un-Canadian to tinker around with it. It worked for us for all these years and let's keep it at that. If women feel left out in the national anthem, I'm sure atheists, who don't believe in God, and pacifists and conscientious objectors who don't believe in standing on guard for Canada feel left out too. This is Canada. We can't damn please everyone!! Let's not forget that the French version of the national anthem is totally different than the English version:

O Canada! Land of our ancestors, Thy brow is wreathed with a glorious garland of flowers. As in thy arm ready to wield the sword, So also is it ready to carry the cross. Thy history is an epic Of the most brilliant exploits. Thy valour steeped in faith Will protect our homes and our rights Will protect our homes and our rights.

Do you political bigwigs wanna mess with and alter the French version of O Canada too? Haha, that will be final nail in the coffin to make Quebec separate from the rest of Canada for good! I say, screw political correctness. Leave the anthem alone!

via Reuters

Canada may adopt gender-neutral national anthem
Wed Mar 3, 2010 5:33pm EST

OTTAWA (Reuters) - "O Canada," the country's national anthem, has included the line, "True patriot love in all thy sons' command," for nearly 100 years.

Ottawa now wants to start a public discussion on whether Canada should adopt a gender-neutral version of the song.

As part of a policy speech unveiled on Wednesday, the minority Conservative government said it would ask Parliament to look at the original lyrics to the anthem.

Those lyrics, penned in 1908 by Canadian poet Robert Stanley Weir, read "True patriot love thou dost in us command." The version in current use was adopted in 1914.

Industry Minister Tony Clement said the government had not taken any firm decisions yet.

"I think the appropriate way to deal with this is through some sort of process where we have historical research and learned discussion," he told reporters.

Michael Ignatieff, leader of the opposition Liberal party, said if the government was serious about boosting women's rights it could have done something more substantive.

One of the first things the Conservatives did after winning power in January 2006 was to cancel a deal the Liberals had struck to provide a national child-care system.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren and Pav Jordan; Editing by Frank McGurty)