Canada's National Anthem - PC changes

[Machjo]

Quite so, many would still continue singing the current anthem. But people will be free to experiment, and slowly the current anthem will probably replaced by a more suitable one.

As to singing it at the Olympics, let the gold medalist choose which version he/she wants sung.

Actually, I just remembered that to a certain degree it's like that already. For example, at any given event, the event organizer must make a choice between the official French version, the official English version, or any of various possible combinations of the two.

Looking at it that way, seeing that they're faced with having to make such decisions already anyway, de-officializing the anthem isn't going to make things any more complicated than it is now. Just as they are forced to make a decision between various options now, so the same would apply by de-officializing the anthem, except that the options avaiable would be wider.

 

[Machjo]

You don't like the poll because it doesn't support your claims. Just admit you're incorrect and only human....

Actually, the poll is flawed. I would vote to simply de-officialize the anthem, which has no earing on whether we change it or not, which is what the poll asks. In fact, a proponent of de-officialization of the anthem is essentially proposing a lessez-faire approach whereby government would neither preserve nor change the anthem. So how do I vote in this poll? I think that alone makes it clear just how flawed the basic poll is.

 

[Risus]

There is nothing wrong with genderless and Godless version, JLM. As to Harper being a God fearing man, we just don't know. It may be that he has adopted the God fearing facade to placate the religious right. Or he may belong to it himself. If he ever gets a majority, we will see his true colours. At present he is doing whatever necessary to stay in power.

Yeah right. You don't know squat about him and you cannot say what he is or is not. Your opinion in this case is worthless.

 

[Machjo]

There is nothing wrong with genderless and Godless version, JLM. As to Harper being a God fearing man, we just don't know. It may be that he has adopted the God fearing facade to placate the religious right. Or he may belong to it himself. If he ever gets a majority, we will see his true colours. At present he is doing whatever necessary to stay in power.

I would prefer a reference to God, seeing that all we have comes from Him. However, I can also see how this might offend some, and this is where I think de-officialization of the anthem can also serve to de-politicize it.

 

[Machjo]

There is no need to shout, JLM. My point is that conservatives are more likely to oppose any changes in the national anthem than liberals. Conservatives instinctively oppose anything new, any new initiative. And that explains the poll result. That really was my point.

I think that's a little simplistic. A person may be conservative in one way, but not in another. Also, I could see some conservative supporting the PCP's proposal on the grounds that the proposal was about going back to Weir's original verses, which would be a very conservative trait. So I don't think the poll can easily identify how conservative one is in general, or even with regards to the national anthem.

 

[gerryh]

Took me awhile...... but I think I have machjo figured out. He's a subversive. Bent on bringing Canada down. From wanting to take away our official languages to wanting to take away our official National Anthem. What else would you like to do to try and tear Canada down.....bit by bit............?

 

[Machjo]

Took me awhile...... but I think I have machjo figured out. He's a subversive. Bent on bringing Canada down. From wanting to take away our official languages to wanting to take away our official National Anthem. What else would you like to do to try and tear Canada down.....bit by bit............?

Take away 'our' official languages? Do you speak French? I do, and fluently too. Making something official yet not putting it into practice is meaningless. Putting it into practice is what matters. Unfortunately, once we officialize it, it can sometimes degenerate into nothing more than lip service. I hope you know French, or else you might feel a little targeted by my comments here.

The same applies to the national anthem by the way, with lips moving to a memorized tune but the mind engaged in fantasizing about the girl next door. Why not engage people more in the process? By de-officializing the national anthem, we might in fact attract more talent in writing new hymns to our country.

 

[lone wolf]

Take away 'our' official languages? Do you speak French? I do, and fluently too. Making something official yet not putting it into practice is meaningless. Putting it into practice is what matters. Unfortunately, once we officialize it, it can sometimes degenerate into nothing more than lip service. I hope you know French, or else you might feel a little targeted by my comments here.

The same applies to the national anthem by the way, with lips moving to a memorized tune but the mind engaged in fantasizing about the girl next door. Why not engage people more in the process? By de-officializing the national anthem, we might in fact attract more talent in writing new hymns to our country.

What French do you know? Parisian? Montreal? Notre Dame du Nord? New Orleans? Saigon? Which one is French?

 

[Machjo]

What French do you know? Parisian? Montreal? Notre Dame du Nord? New Orleans? Saigon? Which one is French?

I know both standard written French and colloquial Canadian French, and can speak both too, with a pretty good accent in both.

 

[Machjo]

And by the way, Gerryh, it's not your language until you can speak it.