The Canadian Senate has approved a bill that would change it's 'O Canada' national anthem in order to make it gender neutral.
If approved by the governor general, the bill would change the words "in all thy sons command" to "in all of us command". The bill had first been introduced in 2016 but faced overwhelming opposition from the Conservative party. A similar bill was soundly defeated when it was voted on in 2010.
Ontario Senator Frances Lankin, who sponsored the bill, lauded the change, which she alleged would make all Canadians feel included. "I'm very, very happy," she told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. "There's been 30 years plus of activity trying to make our national anthem, this important thing about our country, inclusive of all of us," Lankin added.
"This may be small, it's about two words, but it's huge ... we can now sing it with pride knowing the law will support us in terms of the language. I'm proud to be part of the group that made this happen."
Quebec Senator Chantal Petitclerc, a former athlete, said that she wished she was able to be able to sing a gender-neutral anthem when she represented Canada at the Paralympics. "I had the privilege to be on the podium many times and I never had the chance to sing 'In all of us command,'" she said. "I can only imagine what they'll feel when they're on the step of that podium -it's an amazing moment."