Comparing the insanity and bitterness of the current political landscape in the United States, to the relatively civil and level-headed atmosphere in the House of Commons (outside of the occasional elbow), is a time honoured tradition for many Canadians.
And with the United States currently embroiled in another failed effort to pass any meaningful kind of gun control legislation after the tragedy in Orlando, the political climates of our country and our neighbours to the south stand in stark contrast to one another.
But that was before the great debate over changing the national anthem got underway.
Rushed through committee in order to hit the floor of the House of Commons, Mauril Bélanger’s motion to make Canada’s national anthem gender neutral has ignited fierce arguments across the country regarding history, culture, and our shared sense of heritage.
The bill in question would change two words in the English version of the anthem: from “in all thy sons’ command,” to “in all of us command,” which changes a masculine word to a gender neutral one, while preserving the awkward phrasing of the original lyric. A nice touch, to be sure.
But Bélanger’s bill passed through the House of Commons on its third reading, which means it moves to the Senate for approval before it becomes the law of the land.
The Liberal majority, along with members of the NDP and the lone Green MP Elizabeth May, ensured the vote wasn’t even close — 225 to 74, with the only dissenting votes coming from Conservative MPs.
So now here we stand — a country on the brink of fracturing itself in two over the lyrics to a song written in 1880, and adopted as Canada’s official anthem 100 years later.
I shudder to think of the possible fallout from updating the lyrics — but I imagine it would play out something like this.
First, the lyrics are changed by the governing Liberal party, creating a deep schism within Canadian society.
Essentially, all former racial, cultural, or socio-economic forms of identity will fall by the wayside, replaced by two very simple categories: Canadians will be either be a “sons” loyalist, or an “us” patriot.
Attending a hockey game could turn into a bloodbath in short order, as countless fist fights among fans will likely break out during the national anthem presentation which traditionally precedes the game.
Of course, there is always the possibility that this change is accepted by Canadians in a more typical fashion — with plenty of grumbling, and complaining, but ultimately capitulation to the new reality.
And I guess it remains possible that hockey matches don’t turn into melees. People could accept that their neighbour might be slow to adjust to singing “in all of us command,” not as a sign of disrespect to the women of this country, but as a sign of their long-standing connection to the anthem.
But just for once, I wouldn’t mind a little hysteria of our own in the True* North
*Lyrics subject to change based on a re-evaluation of Canada’s actual northern position relative to Greenland.
