Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Canada’s National Anthem – Revised with a Revised History

Misty Hollow Carving
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.

My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.

To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/

* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
Canada’s National Anthem – Revised with a Revised History

Dear Dean Del Mastro, my MP, and the one that might lead the hearings on the changes to our National Anthem…

Let’s have a little fun on this soon to be spring day in Canada.

They are still debating the words to our beloved National Anthem even after last Friday’s sudden announcement that they will do nothing now.

Having mentioned the possible changes to our National Anthem in the Throne Speech of last week people were taken back with the thought of change. The public of Canada had just sung themselves silly with the winnings at the Vancouver Olympics. Most Canadians just learned the full Anthem at the 2010 Olympics.

It started with just one line, but then others realized that maybe the line they didn’t like could or should be changed too.

Here are the problems with our Anthem as I see it. These are collected from the “people groups” of Canada in 2010.

You need to remember that in 1880 when it was written the diversity and freedom of Canadians was not quite what it is today.

By 1880 most land was securely taken away from the Aboriginal People. The RCMP(or at least a National Police Force) was formed in 1873 and in 1874 an armed men headed west to deal with drunkenness among the Aboriginals. The American Whiskey Runners were selling cheap booze to Aboriginal People north of the border. Perhaps it was simply the need for the Canadian Government to eventually Tax its own people to its limit concerning Booze and Other Stuff, that the Police Force would stop the non taxed booze from coming north.

In 1880 women in Canada didn’t not have any status or important positions in our land. They were to have babies and keep house. That was pretty easy to understand.

The National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) was founded in 1893. Up to that time women worked at home and maybe at church, or garden parties. But ALL were included as “Son” of Canada.

The National Anthem was not officially adopted as our Anthem until July 1st, 1980. Up to that time if you had to sing at the official times and let your Olympic cheer be expressed in song – YOU SANG – “God Save Our Gracious Queen!” EVERY CANADIAN KNEW THAT!

I can remember standing in School with the others and learning that soul felt, heart stirring hymn of the colonies, “God Save Our Gracious Queen”. But when I first started school we were saving our King, our present Queen’s dad.

No wonder we are slightly confused when some one suggests that we change something we just learned. DUH!

A Web Site dedicated to our Canadian ancestry makes this statement of the period of 1865 to 1935…
“They left behind everything they knew and traveled thousands of miles across the ocean to a land they had never seen. Two men came for every woman, and more than 4,000 ships brought them here. They came for all reasons – to own their first piece of land, to find gold, to escape poverty and to discover a new life. Their story is your story.”

Not one could sing “Our home and native land!” They weren’t born here! DUH!

Who owned the land before we “bought it”? Depending on which people group you listen to… or believe… someone got it from someone else by simply moving here.

The Aboriginal people or the Inuit people both have a little different take on who was first and what really happened. They might both have been second or third with another people group before they arrived.

No body owns the rights to what we own – except the Government. We all know that.

I bought my house and even when it is/was paid for… I will contine to pay local, provincial and federal governments for what I own. Every Canadian knows that. It is called Taxes – another word for a very long Rent.

The present words of our Anthem of 1980 read as follows…

Lyrics of our National Anthem
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.

Revised… Anthem Proposal
O Canada!
Where I now make my home
Our Government cares for me in every possible way
With glowing hearts I pay my Tax
Keeping the True North strong but never free
From far and wide,
O Canada, we pay our Taxes gladly
“Ruling Party” keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we pay our Taxes gladly
O Canada, we pay our Taxes gladly
(Special Note: Instead the “Ruling Party” above insert Liberals, Conservatives of NDP whoever is the head of Taxing at the time)

What Liberal, Conservative or New Democratic Party would object to that. And for once in our history we would tell the truth. It is as up to date as we can get!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sources:
http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/symbl/anthem-eng.cfm#a0
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/hist/index-eng.htm
http://www.ncwc.ca/aboutUs_history.html
http://landing.ancestry.ca/intl/canada/passenger/lists.aspx/s37020/t14483/rd.ashx

No comments: