O'Canada Anthem at Schools

[CANADIEN]

It's definitely about standing on guard, and any national anthem inspires patriotism and that always means war at some time or other.

The original text is the French one . Talks about carrying the sword and military feats

When I was in school, we never sang the anthem everyday, but did have to sing "God Save the Queen." I once asked my mom what the queen did that God had to keep saving her from.

:lol:

[CANADIEN]

Nothing whatsoever special about being born and raised here.

I know it's accidental, but you got something right for once.

There is nothing special about being born and raised here, or anywhere else on the planet. Commitment to this country is what makes a Canadian, even when keeping some traditions and habits from elsewhere.

You'd be just as comfortable anywhere else on Earth (...)

I don;t know about him, but I know I wouldn't.

(...)so long as you get your ethnic restaurants

I much prefer pasta bolognese, chili con carne, moussaka and chicken tandoori and bangers and mash. I must be such a traitor. Then, on the other end, tourtière and fèves au lard...

Seriously, our diversity is one more reason I am proud to sing our national anthems (I think it should not be sung at sports events though, it debases the anthemn) and when I ssee our flag.

Edited January 30, 2009 by CANADIEN

[ToadBrother]

You cannot take less than 2 minutes out of your mornings to honour those who worked, toiled and died for this country?

I guess lunch plans are more important now; society is truly forgetting its past.

Economic crisis forces inept politicians to find unimportant issues to inflate beyond all reason. News at 11.

This isn't about patriotism, it's about misdirection.

[jbg]

I think this is ridiculous.

CBC Article

Why would someone be offended... And more importantly, why would we care?

I guess this is what happens when somebody from the Green Party is put in charge. My one time vote for the party will always be the only time...

I think some Canadians are ashamed of their country, for the same reason they attack other successful countries such as the U.S. and Israel. It's guilt at living a "good life" pure and simple. They see some romance in failed cultures and dictatorships such as the Taliban and the "Palestinians".

Back in April 2007 I stayed in Niagara Falls, and just finished an intelligent, though slightly liquor-stoked conversation with an Ontarian. He asked why Americans in general and Bush, then our President, in particular doesn't show Canada and Canadians more respect.

I thought these were entirely the wrong questions. I pointed out that I met a Peterborough, ON school teacher who did not know what happened at the Plains of Abraham and didn't know who Montcalm and Wolfe were. I also asked why, if Canadians are not proud of Vimy Ridge and Juno Beach (Normandy), why should Americans show more respect for Canada than it does for itself.

And that should answer the question of why someone felt it necessary to cork the national anthem.

[LesterDC]

Seriously, our diversity is one more reason I am proud to sing our national anthems

I am especially proud of our multicultural policies.. If Lennon's song "Imagine" would take form in a country's philosophy, it would be Canada.

Edited January 30, 2009 by LesterDC

[Huston]

I think some Canadians are ashamed of their country, for the same reason they attack other successful countries such as the U.S. and Israel. It's guilt at living a "good life" pure and simple. They see some romance in failed cultures and dictatorships such as the Taliban and the "Palestinians".'

Umm, the US is bankrupt. Ahh, that would be called a failure. Isreal leetching off hand outs is a failure as well. Now I know why you put Palestinians in quotations...

[Smallc]

Umm, the US is bankrupt.

I've never seen a bankrupt anything with a AAA credit rating before.

[punked]

Umm, the US is bankrupt. Ahh, that would be called a failure. Isreal leetching off hand outs is a failure as well. Now I know why you put Palestinians in quotations...

Ok the US might be in a slow down but if they were bankrupt the world would stop turning and I mean that.

[Huston]

I've never seen a bankrupt anything with a AAA credit rating before.

What ever AAA rating is. LOL!

So the word of Standard & Poors or Moodys is like the word of god huh? LOL! Well, even going by Moody's, they say the US is at risk of losing it. But hey who cares.

You are so adorably naive. Hey just like GDP number have any real meaning to them huh. US bragging about their GDP, despite it being 60-70% consumption! Useless alphabet soups.... like national athems.

[Huston]

Ok the US might be in a slow down but if they were bankrupt the world would stop turning and I mean that.

The USD is at deaths door. The international bankers are working on an alternative right now tp prevent the certain absurdity you speak of. Of course, if other countries were not so supid to devalue their currency compared to the USD. Unfortunately, they are and it will stop the world, which is absurd. Like the anaology Peter Schiff makes about the four Chinese and the one American on an island, and the chinese work all day, and the American is the one consuming their production. If the American wasn't there, they would be producing for themselves.

Can't wait for the run on the dollar.

[Progressive Tory]

I've never seen a bankrupt anything with a AAA credit rating before.

Can they hang onto it though?

"The United States may be on course to lose its 'AAA' rating due to the large amount of debt it has accumulated, according to Martin Hennecke, senior manager of private clients at Tyche."

This will definitely affect us.

[madmax]

Are you confusing our National Anthem with the Americans, because our is not about war. It is not a story of war.

Oh Canada

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free!

From far and wide, O Canada,

We stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

You are making me proud Alta4ever. I will back any Albertan backing Canada.

[Smallc]

Can they hang onto it though?

I;ve never seen anything with a AA+ rating that is bankrupt either.

[Argus]

Argus, you do realize this whole issue isn't necessarily about immigrants, right? It was never stated what ethnicity the families were or what their specific qualms were about the anthem.

Conversations go where they go. I didn't specifically bring immigrants into this one, merely reflected upon how to some people, there's nothing at all special about being a Canadian. So why bother to celebrate it in any way, including singing an anthem or showing respect for a flag.

So, your rant against immigration--par for the course with you--is beside the point.

My rant against immigration? Rant? I understand that lacking education means you need to search desperately for words you think might impress people, but I've barely mentioned immigration on this topic.

That's not to mention the myopic-mindedness those rants entail, considering this is a nation constructed of immigrants.

Oh geeze, the most tiresome, dreary old cliche's still spring from your fingers as ultimate truths, don't they?

Of course, if history repeats itself, you'll just put up a strawman that insists I'm advocating unmitigated immigration, and argue against that. So, I don't know why I even bother replying to your ultra-nationalist delusions.

Because most people couldn't be bothered replying to you?

[Argus]

I f you look at the original text, there is a very evident military reference:

Ô Canada! Terre de nos aïeux,

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux.

Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,

Il sait porter la croix;

Ton histoire est une épopée

Des plus brillants exploits

Et ta valeur de foi trempée,

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits,

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Well then, given it was written by a Frenchman, you'd think there'd be something in there about surrendering...

[say1988]

They should sing it. I see no reason not to. If buses arrive during it have the students stand where they are (or if necessary exit the bus and stand there). I do not believe in God, and have no problem singing "God save the Queen", it is just one word, and think what you will of it. And most non-Christians still have a God, it doesn't say Jesus or anything.

That is wasn't our national anthem until 1980:

Nothing was, not even God Save the Queen. It was used as such well before 1980 though. I don't know when it started being widely used, but it was well before then.

In elementary school we sang it every morning and the start of any afternoon assembly. I think every Canadian should, sure it might just gloss over most of them, but some take it to heart, then or in the future. It is our national anthem, just showing a small piece of pride in our country. Overt pride in our country is rather uncommon and I think we should do more to promote it, not to the scale of the US, but more than it is. I find that most people don't know the words to O Canada.

At my school also sang God Save the Queen after our weekly assembly, and when I went to high school, nobody from any other school even knew the tune. That is despicable. It would be even worse if our national anthem goes the same way.

[Topaz]

I like to know where's the parents that DO want their children to sing O Canada? Usually the majority rules and so far what has the majority of parents want? Why can't the ones that don't want to sing the anthem just leave the room or stand there and not sing it.

[punked]

I like to know where's the parents that DO want their children to sing O Canada? Usually the majority rules and so far what has the majority of parents want? Why can't the ones that don't want to sing the anthem just leave the room or stand there and not sing it.

That is really inclusive.

[M.Dancer]

It was the only 2 minutes that I stood in one spot.

Get head up off desk, open eyes, stand for anthem, go back to desk, put head down, close eyes.

I used to hold the Union Jack .... uh oh... too far back.

Yes...I rememer when It was O Canada ( sometimes with the original lyrics that we mangled ...Carneval est une poppeyee...Trois fois trompee...) God Shave the Queen and the Lord's prayer. I always kept my eyes open just in case it was god who was knicking my pencils...

[KeyStone]

Two more minutes to learn. Good.

I have never understood the importance of singing it everyday. Never understood the reason why sporting events must have it sung.

Keep it for important things, such as the monthly rally in the school. Teach it them as part of civics class, for sure, but everyday.....yawn.

Although our national anthem is especially weak, the idea behind it is to inspire patriotism and loyalty to one's country.

This has the following effects:

1) It is easier to convince people to risk their lives in war for their country.

2) It is easier to convince people to do their civic duty (ie not litter, reduce electrical consumption etc)

3) It makes it less likely they will abandon Canada for the US or elsewhere because of a slightly higher wage.

4) It makes it less likely that some region of Canada (let's say Fort Mcmurray) will suddenly decide that they want to secede on the basis that they happen to have more wealth under the ground than other parts of Canada.

5) People will whine less when asked to share the wealth with the rest of Canada.

[eyeball]

Although our national anthem is especially weak, the idea behind it is to inspire patriotism and loyalty to one's country.

Nationalism is so passé, which has probably been inspired by globalization and probably environmental awareness. I think strides in astronomy have also made people think about just how small and insignificant our little home really is in the scheme of things.

What's a mere nation to do in the face of all that? Protectionism apparently.

[g_bambino]

my grandson's school only does it at assemblies anyway. Never part of a morning routine...

This is exactly as it was when I was in school - and I went to a pretty traditional private school. The national and royal anthems were sung only during certain special assemblies: those on days closest to Remembrance Day, Victoria Day, Founders' Day (for the school itself), and the like. Something about singing those songs every day brings to mind the idea of celebrating Christmas every day: any meaning would eventually be diluted through boredom and repetition. For the anthem to be banned all-together is one thing, but that is not the case here. The media is simply using the magical combination of blind patriotism and children to make this into something remotely resembling a story.

_[copyedited]

Edited January 30, 2009 by g_bambino

[Alta4ever]

Nationalism is so passé, which has probably been inspired by globalization and probably environmental awareness. I think strides in astronomy have also made people think about just how small and insignificant our little home really is in the scheme of things.

How Marxist of you.

[Progressive Tory]

God Shave the Queen...

Was this a Freudian slip? She could probably use a shave.

[g_bambino]

I think some Canadians are ashamed of their country... It's guilt at living a "good life" pure and simple.

The first observation is very interesting. But, I wonder if the latter assertion should place the cause, instead of guilt over living a "good life", with the phenomenon of "white guilt"; i.e. traditional Canadian nationalism has become associated solely with Anglo-Saxon, Protestant, colonial oppression, incompatible with multiculturalism, and any outward expression of which is disfavoured over celebrations of the more freshly imported cultures of ethnic minorities. One might even narrow that down further to make it "white English guilt", as the Quebecois, despite being white and Christian themselves, seem able to quite proudly display traditional symbols of their culture - the royal fleur-de-lis, patriotic songs, anniversaries of rebellions - without recourse, whereas outside of Quebec, doing the same with traditional Canadian symbols is generally met with a hand-wringing worry about who's being offended by what. Even something as seemingly trivial as putting on a show with our air force jets has come under scrutiny, with some in Toronto complaining that the F-18 acts in the annual air show should be cut, as they remind these individuals of the war in their homeland, cause them stress, and make their children cry. To express any criticism of this type of thinking is generally met with an accusation of insensitivity at best, racism at worst.

Our anthem causes offence, our monarchy causes offence, our battles cause offence, our history causes offence. What does that leave in terms of Canadian patriotism? A flag, multiculturalism, and peacekeeping? All noble and good concepts, but the last two seem woefully inadequate as things a nation can rally around, and one acceptable national symbol - an only recently invented one, no less - isn't enough.

_{[ed. for sp.]}

Edited January 30, 2009 by g_bambino