Gender-neutral ‘O Canada’ lyrics now official

The new, gender-neutral lyrics to O Canada are official.

Canadian Heritage Minister Melanie Joly says the one-line revision to the national anthem became law today, one day ahead of the opening of the Winter Olympics in South Korea.

The new wording changes the second line of the anthem’s English version to “in all of us command” from “in all thy sons command.”

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Members of Parliament broke into applause after singing the updated version in the House of Commons a few hours after the bill received royal assent.

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Joly says the government will update its materials and spread news of the change at no extra cost.

The update is the culmination of efforts by former Liberal MP Mauril Belanger, who died two years ago, to make the anthem more inclusive.