Younger Canadians favour changing ‘O Canada’ lyrics: poll
Posted August 13, 2023 9:10 am.
A new poll finds younger Canadians are in favour of additional changes to the lyrics to “O Canada”.
The Research Co. poll shows 55 per cent of English-speaking Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34 agree with changing the first line of the national anthem from “Our home and native land” to “Our home on native land” while only 28 per cent of those over the age of 55 would approve of the change.
Overall, only 41 per cent would approve of the change while 44 per cent disagree with the proposed modification of the lyrics.
Last month, market research firm Leger found 33 per cent of those polled supported changing the anthem, with 48 per cent opposed. Again, support for the change was higher among younger Canadians (42 per cent).
That poll was in response to a proposed resolution put forward by Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie that would see the lyric changed to “O Canada! Our home on native land.”
Juno-winning R&B singer Jully Black sparked the debate after making the one-word change to the anthem during a performance at the NBA All-Star Game in February to acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who lived on the land before European settlers.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said as recently as last month that he’s not opposed to changing the lyrics of Canada’s national anthem, adding it would only come after consulting with Canadians.
The lyrics to “O Canada,” which became the country’s national anthem in 1980, were last modified in 2018 when the second line was changed from “in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command”.
The Research Co. poll was conducted online from July 20 to July 24 using 1,572 English-speaking Canadians and has a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
