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O Canada In Schools: Students Pushed To Sing O Canada By Themselves

The Huffington Post Canada  |  By Posted: 04/12/2012 11:21 am Updated: 04/13/2012 7:18 am

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Singing out loud can be a nerve-racking experience, but if one Toronto school trustee gets her way, some Toronto students may be forced to do just that. According to the Toronto Star, Angela Kennedy of the Toronto Catholic District School Board is pushing forward with a motion that would have students sing O Canada in the classrooms -- out loud and without any musical accompaniment.

While there's some concern that there'll be resistance and lots of shyness involved (despite reports to the contrary, apparently glee club and choir sessions aren't for everyone), Kennedy says that her motion will make for a more patriotic nation. Currently, singing the national anthem is required in the mornings but most students instead opt to listen to a recording of the anthem.

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"I think it makes people lazy and the expectation is that people not sing. And when you get to big events (like graduations), people aren't singing either …It's unpatriotic, and I think as educators we need to be instilling some better values around patriotism and good citizenship," said Kennedy in an interview with The Star.

This isn't the first time the O Canada has made headlines. In 2010, the federal government mused modifying the lyrics after complaints that the line "true patriot love in all thy sons command," wasn't gender neutral and excluded Canadian women. The Conservative government later backed down on the issue after public outcry against any changes. And in 1990, Toronto City Councillors voted in favour of recommending the federal government change the lyrics "our home and native land" be changed to "our home and cherished land". That recommendation was also rejected.


Lee
. Nobody should force anything they dnt want to do especially doing an a capella for the o canada leave it the way it is. Lee

Kennedy's motion will make its way to the board next week, and there seems to be at least some academic support for her recommendation. Fifty-four per cent of Canadian high school choral students didn’t know the melody to O Canada and only 67 per cent knew the lyrics, according to a study out of the University of Victoria. And then, of course, there's the issue of DJs tasked with singing the anthem before lacrosse games not recalling the lyrics either.

"As a school system we have an obligation to encourage people to have a love for their country and to be proud of who they are. I mean singing O Canada at the beginning of a school day is not very onerous," said Kennedy to listeners of NewsTalk1010, a Toronto talk radio show.

WATCH: Some of the most memorable performances of O Canada ever:

Loading Slideshow...

  • Maria Aragon

    Singer and Youtube sensation Maria Aragon sings 'O Canada' on Canada Day in 2011.

  • Melanie Fiona

    Canadian singer Melanie Fiona sings 'O Canada' at the 2011 NBA All Star Game.

  • Mark Donnelly

    "O Canada" performed by Mark Donnelly along with the Great Vancouver crowd in GM Place.

  • Equinox Quartet

    Equinox Quartet singing the "O Canada."

  • Geddy Lee

    Geddy Lee, member of rock band RUSH, sings the anthem for the 1993 All-Star Game.

  • Montreal Canadiens Fans

    'O Canada' as sung by the Habs fans at the Bell Centre.

  • Nikki Yanofsky

    Nikki Yanofsky singing the Canadian Anthem for the Vancouver 2010 opening ceremony.

  • Anne Murray

    Anne Murray sings both the American and Canadian national anthems, at a Toronto Blue Jays game on June 5, 1989.

  • Sarah McLachlan

    Sarah McLachlan singing the anthem in 1996.

  • Justin Bieber

    Justin Bieber sings a part of 'O Canada,' on the Lopez Tonight show.

  • Jann Arden

    Canadian singer and songerwriter Jann Arden singing O' Canada at the Grey Cup Game in Vancouver on Nov 27, 2011.

  • Alanis Morissette

    Alanis Morissette sings the anthem at the Stanley Cup Playoffs Finals in 2007.

  • Céline Dion

    Céline Dion sings 'O Canada' in 1992.

  • Edmonton Oilers Fans

    'O Canada' as sung by the Rexall crowd before the Oilers' Stanley Cup playoff game vs. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2006.

CORRECTION: This story was originally published with O Canada spelled as O' Canada. We've corrected the error in the copy.
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Singing out loud can be a nerve-racking experience, but if one Toronto school trustee gets her way, some Toronto students may be forced to do just that. According to the Toronto Star, Angela Kennedy o...
Singing out loud can be a nerve-racking experience, but if one Toronto school trustee gets her way, some Toronto students may be forced to do just that. According to the Toronto Star, Angela Kennedy o...
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Jimbob65
1 Fans
09:43 AM on 05/11/2012
I'm an immigrant, and an agnostic... I sing it, get a grip. Surely we have bigger fish to fry than debating the merits of the national anthem which offends me not one iota, like how much Harpers Ministers spend on trips then "give back" once they've been caught out, or how about the economy, or creating jobs...
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49tales
lucem sequimur
727 Fans
03:19 PM on 04/15/2012
I'm in my mid 30s and when I was going to school we had to sing it each day, it wasn't a big deal, to this day I can still sing it in English and French

I remember as a little girl even while watching a hockey game in his own home my grandpa would immediately stand as the national anthem came on (and insist the rest us stand as well)

At the time I thought it was silly but as I get older I kind of find it sweet. He was of a different generation, one that had been to war and his love of Canada was deep. Sometimes we get a little lax on things and it's not always for the best.

We don't have to agree with everything about the song, nor do we have to agree with everything our government does but I hope children are taught the song, about our history and as they get older even have debates about the song. But it is a part of our culture and they should be exposed to O Canada and I think in elementary school it doesn't harm them to learn to sing the anthem
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take a moment
0 Fans
01:57 PM on 04/14/2012
I would like the Brian Vinh Tien Trinh to contact Angela Kennedy to find out why she refused to sing O Canada when asked by the CTV reporter. The message I am getting from her is Do as I say not as I do.
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butchcliff
The future is unwritten
260 Fans
07:31 AM on 04/14/2012
Not without the anthem being sung with music over the pa system. Too much like public speaking for kids. Can't imagine if you're the only kid to start singing. Put in an embarassing spot.
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MO2012
0 Fans
11:32 PM on 04/12/2012
This trustee wouldn't sing it on-air a capella during a CTV interview http://tinyurl.com/cumey29
but expects kids to sing up in the name of patriotism. This in not North Korea where the masses must pay homage. This trustee should maybe focus on getting some much needed text books or french teachers into the schools in her ward rather than waste her time on frivilous matters. I am amazed that she is so concerned about veterans when the families she represents are asking much tougher questions about bullying, parental involvement and police in our high schools. In teh CTV clip she actually claimed that she found it embarassing that kids don't sing the athem. How dare she be so judmental about other peoples children.
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Brent Silk
8 Fans
10:57 PM on 04/12/2012
Frankly speaking, the Canadian anthem is riddled with problems. Firstly, there is the gender neutral issue. I don't mind having "native land" in the lyrics, as it honors our native Canadians. But what I am truly against is how the lyrics pander to monotheists. Why do my Hindu neighbors have to sing about the Judeo-Christian god? Why include any religion in our anthem's lyrics (God keep our land glorious and free?). As a non-believer in any religion, I find it offensive that people of diverse belief systems are forced to sing about a god they do not believe exists.
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Indaba
334 Fans
06:06 AM on 04/13/2012
Or why do some immigrants have to stop beating their wives now they are in Canada. I had a cab driver tell me he had to go to jail because his wife called the cops during a domestic fight. If this country has the generosity to let in Asians, unlike Uganda, have the graciousness to be part of the main song. I am an immigrant and there were many things I did not like but reas later, I now understand it was part of the culture that makes Canada a great place to live.
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Giacomo B
0 Fans
12:33 AM on 04/16/2012
Whatever. The terms can be symbolic. If you do not believe in God or any god, allow it to simply be the supreme force on Earth... Like man or a principle. The Idea is to declare a wish to have this land preserved. You're splitting hairs to create controversy. God is a subjective term. You do not have to believe that term to mean the same thing as another. Make it something for yourself. It in no way forces a religious view onto anyone. This is a silly argument. Do you ever say "Oh my god!" or "god no!"... or "Jesus Christ... Blah blah blah..." ? Well? Ever?

If it means nothing to you, then why make a stink about it? The anthem is about a message, and that message is a coast to coast nation we stand on guard for, hand in hand. And a Nation we want kept and protected to the highest degree possible.

The god in the anthem is not specifically named in any way. Oh and Hindu's speak of god not only gods of various sorts: Hinduism considers God not just as the Supreme All-powerful Gigantic One, Who commands the humanity to tread the way He/She/It says, but also a personal God Whom the individual can worship out of love and not necessarily out of fear (research fail)
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Puddinpops
46 Fans
10:11 PM on 04/12/2012
This is such a non-issue in the grand scheme of things, sing/don't sing, music/no music, daily/yearly. I also am unconvinced that lack of patriotism is becoming a growing trend. It may not damage kids to make them sing out loud acappella, but it is hardly going to have much of a positive benefit or raise better and more civic minded adultsr. Those lessons take people setting examples and demonstrating good citizenship, and can't be learned just by singing the same short song every day.

The world isn't going to hell because we don't pray in school, and kids probably spend far more time learning lyrics of their favourite pop groups every day anyway. Getting kids to do two minutes of group aerobics might have a greater palliative affect for our social ills. As a pet project it probably won't do much harm, but making sure every last kid is really singing out loud, not just mouthing the words, won't do our school kids a whole lot of good either. Seems to me that Canadians have always been more low key in our patriotism, preferring doing stuff to just singing about it, unlike our bombastically vocal anthem belters for neighbours to the south. Watching adults get their gitch in a bunch over this kind of stuff just proves to students that the lunatics run the asylum after all. What a arbitrary lesson to learn.
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Indaba
334 Fans
06:07 AM on 04/13/2012
Get the kids to do Canadian Idol with the national anthem.
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Jessen Joseph
86 Fans
06:50 PM on 04/12/2012
Kids who want to sing, should.
Those who don't want to, shouldn't.

I know...sounds simple, eh?
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rr78
60 Fans
06:41 PM on 04/12/2012
I don't like patriotism as a brainwashing tool. But I have nothing against flags and anthems in themselves (except for the American one, glorifying war). And it's great fun to sing in groups, and if some kids are too shy to join in, then let them remain silent. Eventually they might work up the nerve and enjoy singing along. (Aren't they watching Glee???)

It's a nice tune. And I love the irony of "home and native land".

And while I'm at it, does anyone know where I can get an mp3 or youtube of the woman powerfully singing Oh Canada on NTV? The station always cuts her off just as she's getting to the dramatic ending, and I'm dying to hear the whole thing. Haven't been able to find it yet online.
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dranzer 26
0 Fans
 
03:16 AM on 04/21/2013
Also trying to find that song. It sounds like Celine Dion to me, but all of the vids on youtube are her sining in French.
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rr78
60 Fans
06:21 PM on 04/23/2013
If you do find it, please let me know!  Thanks!
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clarke90
Not sure what to say here...
153 Fans
06:30 PM on 04/12/2012
We should be thankful for the freedom our fore fathers gave us. Now put your hand on your heart and sing god dammit.

Nothing better than "freedom".
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Jimbob65
1 Fans
09:34 AM on 05/11/2012
Well said!
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slangster
26 Fans
04:57 PM on 04/12/2012
Love my Country deeply yet feel our lives in it are under constant assault by paternalistic authoritarians. Patriotism is a code word for turning a blind eye.
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Punky Bold
2 Fans
03:04 PM on 04/12/2012
I was once at an alumni event in Nova Scotia at a time when one school board was considering mandatory singing of the national anthem at its schools. When asked my opinion, I said that ritual patriotism being forced on anyone, especially children, was tasteless. I also said that the anthem refers to God and, as an atheist, I would be uncomfortable with my kids being forced to acknowledge a god (and which god is it anyway). Kids are in school to learn and grow and patriotism, like religion, is a personal matter; keep this stuff out of schools.

Suddenly, people were jumping at me, telling me that I wasn't patriotic, I wasn't a real Canadian, I had no sense of pride. I was actually getting screamed at. I was truly stunned at the reaction, the emotion involved.

This is what patriotism breeds; an "either you are with us or against us" mentality. Pray forbid anyone should have thoughts of their own.
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Indaba
334 Fans
06:11 AM on 04/13/2012
Patriotism is important and I admired Canadians for it when I first arrived. I do believe it encourages us to get united. Canadians do take this country for granted. So what do you propose instead? No song?
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GENERALNATTY
40 Fans
 
03:03 PM on 04/12/2012
I think it's idiotic that singing the national anthem each day is something people need to debate, I think it's stupid that a large percentage of people born and raised in Canada don't know the lyrics, yet their immigrant counter parts must. Can we have some traditions going we can keep for a change? Grow a backbone for gods sake.
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viennawoods
An optimistic cynic.
361 Fans
09:14 PM on 04/12/2012
Backbone- funny, I had that discussion with a student this morning. He wa sin the hall during the anthem and was just leaning against a wall. I reminded him that during the anthem, he is required to use his backbone to support him, not a wall. He didn't seem to get it.
I don't think that they should have to sing it, but in my classroom I do require respectful silence and correct posture. NOBODY talks during the anthem in my class. Sometimes I've had to tell fellow teachers that they need to shut up.
There was a series back around 2000, Power Play, with Gordon Pinsent as an eccentric hockey team owner. People kept trying to talk to him during the anthem and he always told them to be quiet- out of respect for the country.
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Len Langevin
45 Fans
03:01 PM on 04/12/2012
This move could open up a legal can of worms - and maybe it should.

By forcing students in a public school to sing a song that mentions god, opens the doors to non believers to have the anthem removed, much like prayer in school.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
stopgeorge
Paper Ballots WORK. Unverifiable e-voting doesn't
489 Fans
04:47 PM on 04/12/2012
You raise a good point. I think the "God" reference should be replaced in the lyrics.
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Len Langevin
45 Fans
06:10 PM on 04/12/2012
I agree that the god reference should be removed from the national anthem - and the charter of rights as well. I recently joined a facebook group focused on removing god from the anthem. I and other members have posted proposed changes to the lyrics. Here is the link if you're interested. https://www.facebook.com/RemoveGodFromTheCanadianNationalAnthem
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viennawoods
An optimistic cynic.
361 Fans
09:19 PM on 04/12/2012
Yep, and son's command with "all of us command", and "native land" with "chosen land"
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Monster Mash
91 Fans
02:17 PM on 04/12/2012
During school, when the anthem was on I was trying to get to my class while avoiding the teachers who would tell you to stand still. I'd like to stand still, but if the teacher got to the class before me I'd get detention. There were others like me and if I was in class during the anthem, no one would really sing it. I don't really see the point in kids doing this.
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viennawoods
An optimistic cynic.
361 Fans
09:20 PM on 04/12/2012
I suppose getting to class on time wasn't a viable option?
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Monster Mash
91 Fans
11:37 PM on 04/12/2012
I use to be able to get to class on time, but then my sibling started going to the same school as me and caused me to be late every day. Thankfully, my first period teacher was also always late so I was able to get in before he got to class.
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