Canada mulls gender-neutral anthem

OTTAWA, March 4 (UPI) -- Canada's federal government plans to look at changing the country's national anthem "O Canada," to make it gender neutral.

When parliament reconvened Wednesday and the minority Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced its agenda, the anthem was one of the smaller items that would be addressed in coming weeks, the Toronto Star reported Thursday.

The gender issue, politicians claim, rankling female constituents is the third line, which says "True patriot love in all thy sons command."

Government officials said they have received numerous suggestions on a replacement line, including "Thou dost in us command" and "In all of us command."

The "O Canada" music and lyrics in French were first performed in Quebec City on June 24, 1880. They are gender neutral and have not changed. The English lyrics were written in 1908, the report said.

The anthem can be heard at the federal government site: www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/symbl/anthem-eng.cfm.