Canada Makes National Anthem Gender Neutral to be All-Inclusive
The Senate gave its approval to change the second line of the anthem from "in all thy sons command" to "in all of us command."
Ottawa [Canada] February 3: The Senate has passed a bill to make the national anthem of Canada gender neutral despite some Conservative senators' opposition.
The Senate gave its approval to change the second line of the anthem from "in all thy sons command" to "in all of us command." This is to make it all-inclusive.
The legislation will now only need the royal assent of the Governor General before it becomes a law. Liberal MP Mauril Belanger had pushed this legislation for years. Apparently, not one but 12 bills have been introduced in the house to remove the gendered reference.
Belanger passed away two months after the Commons passed the bill in June 2016. The supporters of the bill are very thrilled by the decision. Several prominent Canadians have whole-heartedly praised the move.
But not everyone is as welcoming of this move. The bill had its opposition even from the start. The bill was passed Canada's House of Commons in 2016, but spent 18 months under debate in the Senate. It faced opposition from members of the Conservative Party. There were many who criticized the vote after it was passed.