Canada a dysfunctional country? Well perhaps by our National Anthem?

[Guest Peeves]

Why should we be singing two differing versions if we're one country?

And why is the cross mentioned in our anthem at all? Are we still on a crusade? Isn't it past time for religious sentiment in our official national order?

Bilingual lyrics are one thing, but they should be in step not in contrary language.

Good (?) letter on the matter.

"As Canadians we cherish our freedom — freedom from persecution, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, yet no one is discussing O Canada’s French/bilingual lyrics — which are a pledge and a fight for Catholicism.

Car ton bras sait porter l’epee (As in thy arm ready to wield the sword),

IL sait porter la croix! (So also is it ready to carry the cross!)

When sung bilingually, O Canada makes no sense. The English and French are thrown together without regard to coherence, communication, compatibility — any form of a relationship.

An anthem is a nation’s showpiece to the world — our anthem highlights Canada’s two solitudes, showing the world we are a non-communicating, dysfunctional family.

I propose schools debate the lyrics of O Canada and have a contest to come up with new text that is translatable in either official language, that reflects our mutually held values: freedom, beauty of the land, equality and acceptance and faith should be expressed generically. Then and only then will Canadians finally unite — at least through song — to express our universally held objectives, as we look into the future past our two solitudes.

Susan Michaels, artistic director, The Renanim Youth Singers, Toronto.’

[The_Squid]

And why is the cross mentioned in our anthem at all?

Do you think God keeps our land glorious and free?

[Guest Peeves]

Do you think God keeps our land glorious and free?

Nope all the credit goes to Harper and the USA

[The_Squid]

Nope all the credit goes to Harper and the USA

Then we should include that line in the anthem.

"Our Land, kept glorious and free by America and their puppet Harper"

Good line Peeves! Makes more sense than God...

[Topaz]

Since the Maple Leaf flag , I always wondered why we didn't have two songs, one, O Canada and the other The Maple Leaf Forever. I like the music to the Maple Leaf better than O Canada.