OTTAWA—Three days after Canadians belted out “O Canada” to celebrate the nation’s Olympic hockey win, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives are asking whether the anthem should be changed.

The phrase “In all thy sons command” has some women calling for a gender-neutral version, Industry Minister Tony Clement says, citing an email from a constituent.

“For 50 years ..... I’ve listened to our anthem and felt excluded by the line,” Tina Prietz, 60, of Huntsville, Ont., wrote to Clement. “Yes, you’ve guessed it, I’m female.”

The Conservative government said in Wednesday’s throne speech it will ask Parliament to examine the original wording of the anthem. Officials said later a parliamentary committee will study whether the phrase “In all thy sons command” should be changed to “Thou dost in us command,” which the Prime Minister’s Office says is the wording from the original version.

Harper aide Andrew MacDougall said the government does not have a view on the change.

Prietz said she was proud to see so many Canadians win gold medals and hear the national anthem during the Olympics, but added some of the words stick in her craw.

“I would love to see the anthem slightly changed to ‘In all of us command,’.” Prietz said.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff doesn’t object to a more “gender-sensitive” anthem, but said the government should take serious steps to improve the status of women.

The anthem is based on lyrics penned in 1908, and slightly altered in the 1980 National Anthem Act. The original French version survives unaltered.

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