06/30/2023
Sing it...proud to be
We know the feeling, pride swelling in our chests, sometimes lips quivering, choking back emotion, the Canadian flag raised as one of our world-class athletes receives a gold medal. ‘O Canada’ is one of a handful of iconic symbols that embody the spirit of our True North culture.
Universally, we’re known for our distinctive and easily recognizable red maple leaf and fever-mad passion for our national sport, hockey. Our national anthem lives in our hearts with its simple and majestic melody.
The story behind the composition of the Canadian anthem is a mystery because it relates to our biggest wound, that of our national identity. Our history, at the intersection of English, French and Indigenous cultures. And the reason no one can be certain of the English words to ‘O Canada’ is because there weren’t any when it was first written. It originated as a Quebec national anthem for French Canadians.
The idea of a “Chant National” was introduced by Reverend Napolean Caron of Trois Rivieres, as resistance against the two patriotic songs of the day, ‘God Save the King’ and ‘The Maple Leaf Forever,’ which didn’t resonate with strong French Canadian sentiments following Canada’s unification. In 1880, the organizers of the Quebec nationalism-themed conference held on June 24th every year, the Sainte Jean-Baptiste Society, commissioned a national hymn for Quebec.
Its message didn’t translate well to English. It wasn’t until 1908, when Montrealer Robert Weir set down the version we know now. The English version is a simple affirmation of love for and service to our country. An effortless message that conveys a sense of community and togetherness.
An Anthem Unifying Canadians
That a Quebec-separatist hymn is our True North, Strong and Free anthem, belongs to our collective reverence for ‘O Canada,’ the only words the two versions share. That word Canada, Indigenous in origin, used by French Canada to refer to their old Laurentian homeland and is synonymous with our Great sea-to-sea Dominion established in 1867. By turning a hymn of Quebec solidarity into an anthem for all Canadians, we unite two societies in one song.
Singing our national anthem is declaring to the world and letting the heavens hear our praise, we’re proud to be Canadian. It’s our conscious memory, of meaningful experiences, built up over years. The collective moment we share, to reflect on how fortunate we are to live in arguably the best country in the world. We received this distinction in 2021, and currently hold third place, behind Switzerland and Germany.
As Canadians, we’re usually content and happy winning bronze on any world stage, as long a, it doesn’t involve a hockey arena.
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Note: Article inspired by ‘Song of a Nation: The untold story of Canada’s National Anthem,’ Robert Harris, McLelland & Stewart, 2018. We know the feeling, pride swelling in our chests, sometimes lips quivering, choking back emotion, the Canadian flag raised as one of our world-class athletes r...
