The recent controversy over the concept of changes to the national anthem is now moot and muted.
“We offered to hear from Canadians on this issue and they have already spoken loud and clear. They overwhelmingly do not want to open the issue,” said Dimitri Soudas, a spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office. “The government will not proceed any further to change our national anthem.”
The idea of reviewing the words to O Canada to more gender-neutral wording was inspired in part by a couple of women from Huntsville.
In a letter to MP Tony Clement, local woman Tina Prietz discussed her response to the line “in all thy sons command.”
“For 50 years ... I’ve listened to our anthem and felt excluded by the line. Yes, you’ve guessed it, I’m female,” Prietz wrote.
Another Huntsville woman, Meg Jordon, raised the issue with Clement years ago.
“Words are very, very important in the formation of our spirit. When little girls sing sons, sons, sons, it has an impact,” said Jordon. “It’s especially irksome because the original wording was so beautifully inclusive. Why was it changed in the first place?”
On Friday Clement reiterated his desire to have the conversation about the anthem continue. He said he has a preference, but wants constituents to decide.
“There has been a debate, (people) underground have been advocating changing the words,” he said. “The government does not have a position to change the words, but we’re allowing a process by which this can be discussed. My personal opinion is, I’m hearing a lot from my constituents. It’s running 90-10 against changing the words. I want the process to continue,” he said, just before the government announced it will not pursue the issue.