Canada votes to change lyrics of national anthem to make it gender neutral

Liberal and Independent Canadian senators voted Wednesday to change the lyrics to “O Canada,” making the Canadian national anthem gender neutral.

The bill, which will now be sent to the Governor General to receive royal assent and become law, changes the line “in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command.”

The bill, which was first introduced by Liberal MP Mauril Bélanger as one of his last political actions before his death from ALS, was passed by the House of Commons in 2016.

{mosads}Due to delays by Conservative senators, the bill has been debated in the Senate for 18 months. A number of Conservative senators boycotted Wednesday’s vote, where senators introduced a controversial motion called a “dilatory motion” to shut down debate and immediately vote on the bill.

Conservatives have accused their Liberal and Independent colleagues of stifling their right to continue vocal opposition to the bill in debate, and some have called for a referendum on the lyrics change. 

“O Canada” has been the country’s national anthem since 1980, and a dozen attempts have been made to change the “all thy sons” lyrics, according to CBC News.

The song has been changed multiple times in the past.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has been an outspoken advocate for gender equality, tweeted that the passage of the bill is a “positive step.”

Mauril’s bill to make O Canada gender neutral passed third reading in the Senate tonight – another positive step towards gender equality. #inallofuscommand

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 1, 2018