OTTAWA–"Ludicrous, ridiculous and idiotic" were just a few of a barrage of angry comments directed to Stephen Harper from everyday Canadians after his government opened the door to changing the lyrics of "O Canada," documents reveal.

Reaction to the Conservatives' surprise move was fast, furious and even vitriolic as citizens vented their unhappiness with the the idea of making the anthem gender neutral, with some denouncing it as the "dumbest idea ever."

"Is your Government NUTS?" wrote one person, summing up the sentiments of many who sent notes to Harper's office.

In email message after message, Canadians used words like "appalled" and "outraged" and many warned Harper he would pay a price in the polls for his "ludicrous" proposal.

"Don't you dare fiddle with O Canada," wrote one Canadian.

"Believe me, my wife and I will remember this when ... you call an election," the writer continued.

"Should your office change the lyrics, you are going to upset many, many Canadians ... It is an outrage to change the lyrics," said another.

"LEAVE O CANADA ALONE," one Canadian wrote in capitals. Harper surprised many, including some apparently even in his own Conservative caucus, with the proposal to ask Parliament to examine the "original gender-neutral" wording of "O Canada."

At stake was the question whether the phrase "In all thy sons command" should be changed to "Thou dost in us command," the wording from the original 1908 version.

It was an idea floated in the March 3, 2010, Speech from the Throne. And while the speech talked about many government initiatives, from law and order to fighting the recession, it was the anthem that emerged as the talking point – and the lightning rod.

Using access to information legislation, the Toronto Star got copies of all messages to the Prime Minister's office on March 4, 2010, the day after the change was proposed.

The reaction was centred on one topic only.

"Mister PM ... What's with screwing around with the National anthem . . . KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BALL!!!" wrote one Canadian.

Another urged Harper not to waste his time on "such a trivial issue. The country will not fall apart because it says `thy sons command.' It will however fall apart if we do not do something about job creation, our deficit, our health care system," the email read.

Many questioned why the Conservatives would raise the idea of tinkering with the anthem, just days after Canada's impressive performance at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, which stoked national pride and had many singing "O Canada."

There was also a nasty tone from some of the senders, who blamed "feminists" or "immigrants" for the possible change.

"I implore you not to cave to the `sensitivities' of a handful of insecure women. Why don't we just hum the anthem, that way we only risk offending the musically gifted," said one email.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

"Stop bowing down to minority groups," wrote one Canadian. "Why are we as a nation continually changing our heritage to satisfy minorities?"

The Prime Minister's office gave a polite response to the emails, saying their statements would be "carefully reviewed."

The outpouring of angry opinion, a taste of the reaction that apparently flooded into Conservative MPs' offices as well, gives a hint at why the government abruptly scrapped its promised review of the anthem just two days later.

Read more about: