It looks like Canadian MPs have given final approval to a much-talked about bill to make changes to the country’s national anthem and make it gender-neutral.
The House of Commons gave cross party support to a bill, tabled by Liberal MP Mauril Bélanger, which tweaks the national anthem, O Canada.
The bill, which passed by a vote of 225 to 74 on a free vote thanks to a cross-party coalition of support, would scrap the line “True patriot love in all thy sons command”. Instead? Instead the anthem will include the line “True patriot love in all of us command”.
The lyric change was staunchly opposed by some conservative MPs, but historians pointed out the original line of O Canada was actually “thou dost in us command” – while the French version does not refer to ‘sons’ at all.
After the vote, the House of Commons stood to sing the national anthem like good Canadians.
Next step? The bill will now go to the Senate for approval.
