The Ever Changing O Canada
How our anthem has changed over the years
Right now, there is a debate over whether to change the national anthem to say “home on native land.”
The story of our national anthem begins in 1880 on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day when the music composed by Calixa Lavellee, with the words by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier, were first performed for an audience.
Then, 26 years later, English lyrics were translated for the anthem and it began to gain popularity.
When Robert Stanley Weir put out his version in 1908, the move to O Canada becoming our national anthem had begun. The anthem has also been translated into many Indigenous languages including Mi’kmaq, Cree, Ojibwe and Inuktitut.
The lyrics have changed several times from their original French version.
In 1908, with Robert Stanley Weir’s version, there were no religious references and the phrase “thou dost in us command” was used.
Then, in 1913, that was changed to “in all thy sons command.”
Another change came in 1926 when a fourth verse of religious nature was added with “God keep our land glorious and free.”
The song eventually became the de facto anthem of Canada after King George VI remained at attention during its playing at the dedication of the National War Memorial in Ottawa on May 21, 1939.
In 1964, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson wanted Canada to have an official anthem, and it was hoped that O Canada would be chosen.
It was not until 1980 that the anthem was official designated as the National Anthem of Canada with the National Anthem Act.
Since the first changes, there have been recommendations for further changes. In 1990, Toronto City Council passed a resolution to recommend that the Canadian government change “our home and native land” to “our home and cherished land” and that “in all thy sons command” become “in all of us command.”
Nothing came of this recommendation.
Senator Vivienne Poy stated that the song was sexist and in 2002 proposed a change to change “in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command.”
It was not until 2018 that a bill to amend the national anthem passed, changing the lyric officially to “in all of us command.”