Well, the Federal Government is back in session. The issues being taken care of? Spending, particularly salaries.. OK.. Good. Most of them don't earn their pay to begin with.. Refugee Status Application processes. Makes sense to try to figure out who to let in.. The wording of O Canada... Wait... What??
Apparently, some people got their undies in a bunch over the words to O Canada and decided to complain to different MPs and the Prime Minister about it. Seems it's a result of hearing it 14 times in Vancouver. The line that's causing the offense? "In all thy sons command."
Now, since parliament went back in session, there has been a fair bit of debate about it in the newspapers. Half seem to want a change, half don't. Seems like most who want it changed are women. In fact, Senator Vivienne Poy introduced a bill way back in 2002 that would examine and change the wording. Her version would have the line changed to "In all of us command." Professor Adele Mercier of Queen's University agrees, pointing out the fact the population of Canada is 51% women.
July 1 1980 was the day O Canada became the official anthem. The words in the official version of the anthem have been around since 1968. The original text that was changed in 1968 was written in 1908. And, way back in 1908 "In all thy sons command" was there.
I have three questions to pose. They are the following:
1. If we change the wording of the one line, where do we stop? Do we change the "Home and Native Land" portion to appease the immigrants? Do we take mention of God out to appease the athiests? How about the "stand on guard for thee" for people who can't stand?
2. Have we, as a society, gotten to the point where every little thing offends someone? Seriously, there's a reason the phrase "You can't please everyone" was coined. No matter what, people will find something to complain about.
3. Isn't there more important things the government could be worrying about? For example.. The economy? Jobs? The massive deficit??
I don't know but it sounds more like a deflection topic so they don't need to do real work.
