CALGARY—When it comes to bad decisions, it may not rank as bad as New Coke but officials at the Calgary Stampede have learned that when it comes to the national anthem it’s best not to mess with traditional.

Five days into the 10-day long Calgary Stampede, staff were scrambling to come up with a national anthem to be played before the grandstand events. It will be the third version of “O Canada” at this year’s Stampede.

“The learning is: maybe we shouldn’t have altered the traditional version,” said Calgary Stampede spokesman Kurt Kadatz.

On Thursday and Friday, the first two nights of the Stampede, the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth unveiled a new version of the national anthem that is played so people can stand, doff their hats and sing along.

Kadatz described this version as “modernized, non-traditional.”

So unpopular was this version that officials scrambled to re-record a new anthem, which was played on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, a version he referred to as the “hurry up” anthem.

But in their rush to get it ready, the French-language verse of “O Canada,” was dropped. That’s the verse that begins: “Terre de nos aïeux, ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!”

Kadatz said the Stampede did not mean to offend anyone by omitting the French-language verse.

“We are sorry if we offended anyone,” he said. “As a national institution, an icon, we’re going to go back to a more traditional arrangement that is bilingual. Sometimes new works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

Kadatz said the Stampede, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, will have the traditional, bilingual version ready by Tuesday night.

Celine Bossé, executive director of ACFA Calgary, an organization in support of francophones in Alberta, said she was surprised to hear the French verse was dropped.

“We’re a bilingual country. This anthem should be bilingual,” she said.

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The ACFA had a float in this year’s stampede parade, as it has for the past 30 years and Bossé said there is no doubt in her mind that Calgarians are proud of being in a bilingual country.

“I was walking in front of the float and screaming, ‘Hello, Bonjour,’ and people were screaming back, ‘Bonjour’ all the way,” she said. “It’s Le Stampede de Calgary and everyone was calling back, ‘Bonjour!’ ”

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