An Act to amend the National Anthem Act (gender neutral)

This bill was last introduced in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session, which ended in March 2011.

Sponsor

Libby Davies  NDP

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of Feb. 11, 2011
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment substitutes the words “of us” for the words “thy sons” in the English version of the national anthem, thus making it gender neutral.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

October 7th, 2014 / 1:25 p.m.
See context

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie

Next is Bill C-626.

National Anthem ActRoutine Proceedings

February 11th, 2011 / 12:05 p.m.
See context

NDP

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-626, An Act to amend the National Anthem Act (gender neutral).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise again in the House to present this bill. It is actually a very simple bill, but I know it would probably generate a fair amount of debate. It has to do with our national anthem, O Canada. It was a bill that was formerly presented by my colleague, Judy Wasylycia-Leis. I know she felt very strongly about this.

It is basically a bill that would substitute the words “of us” for the words “thy sons” in the English version of the national anthem, thus making it gender neutral.

I was going to sing the new version, but my colleagues talked me out of putting people through that pain. I think people are very familiar with going to public events and actually hearing a growing number of people voluntarily substituting gender neutral language in our national anthem.

I know some people do not agree with that. They say that it should stay the way it was written, so I think we will probably have quite an interesting debate on this. Nevertheless, I put it forward because I think it is important that our language be gender neutral.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)