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The move was promoted by Nancy Ruth and supported by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. However, it provoked an angry backlash, with one poll suggesting three-quarters of Canadians objected to the change. Two days after the Throne Speech, the Prime Minister’s Office said the government would leave the national anthem alone. “We have offered to hear from Canadians on this issue and they have already spoken loud and clear,” said Dimitri Soudas, Mr. Harper’s then-spokesman.

However, the Restore our Anthem campaign is hoping for a sea change in public opinion to mark the 100th anniversary of Weir’s pre-war edit to his original lyrics.

Organizers will try to get all party support in Parliament for the change and encourage voters to pressure their MPs, with the aim of amending the National Anthem Act.

‘‘I think a politician would have to be somewhat addled to refuse this entirely practical request,’’ Ms. Atwood said Monday. ‘‘[I’m] supporting it because it will now include the half of Canadians who have thus far been excluded.’’

Supporters point out that the English version already incorporates changes recommended by parliamentarians in 1968 that added the lines “from far and wide” and “God keep our land.”

They argue there is growing discontent among women forced to sing “all thy sons command,” and point to recent updated anthems at a number of American universities including Princeton and Dartmouth to reflect changing demographics.

Earlier this month, Rutgers became the latest addition to the list when it changed its anthem — On the Banks of the Old Raritan — to reflect the fact that half of its student body is female. Out went “my father sent me to old Rutgers/ and resolved I should be a man,” to be replaced with “from far and near we came to Rutgers/and resolved to learn all that we can.”

A petition to change the song back to its original 1873 formulation had garnered six signatures by late Monday.

National Post

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