Bill C-210 (Historical)

An Act to amend the National Anthem Act (gender)

This bill is from the 42nd Parliament, 1st session, which ended in September 2019.

Sponsor

Mauril Bélanger Liberal

Introduced as a private member’s bill.

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill.

This enactment amends the National Anthem Act to substitute the words “of us” for the words “thy sons” in the English version of the national anthem, thus making it gender neutral.

Similar bills

C-624 (41st Parliament, 2nd session) An Act to amend the National Anthem Act (gender)

C-626 (40th Parliament, 3rd session) An Act to amend the National Anthem Act (gender neutral)

S-3 (37th Parliament, 2nd session) An Act to amend the National Anthem Act to include all Canadians

S-39 (37th Parliament, 1st session) An Act to amend the National Anthem Act to include all Canadians

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.

Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-210s:

C-210 (2021) Right to Vote at 16 Act

C-210 (2021) Law An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (organ and tissue donors)

C-210 (2020) An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (organ and tissue donors)

C-210 (2013) An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (members who cross the floor)

C-210 (2011) An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (members who cross the floor)

C-210 (2010) An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act (marriage after the age of sixty years)

Votes

June 15, 2016 Passed That the Bill be now read a third time and do pass.

June 1, 2016 Passed That the Bill be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

National Anthem ActRoutine Proceedings

January 27th, 2016 / 3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-210, An Act to amend the National Anthem Act (gender).

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to introduce this bill, seconded by my colleague, the hon. member for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill. I am quite proud of her.

On September 22, 2014, I introduced in this House the same bill, which advocates a simple change in the English lyrics of our national anthem. It proposes that “True patriot love in all thy sons command” become “True patriot love in all of us command”, therefore replacing only two words, “thy sons”, with “of us”. This change would render the anthem gender neutral.

Although my bill was defeated in the last Parliament, the drive to make O Canada more inclusive has been advanced. Members from all parties supported my bill in what was the first vote on such an initiative in the House of Commons.

I commissioned an opinion poll on this issue which showed solid support for this initiative: a total of 58% supported this measure and only 19% disagreed.

I look forward to engaging with my colleagues as we address this important matter once again.

By the way, it is 2016.

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