Did You Know the Lyrics to the Canadian National Anthem Have Changed?

At some recent Buffalo Sabres games it sounded as if anthem singer Doug Allen was stumbling over the lyrics to the Canadian national anthem.  He's been singing the anthems for years and when I heard what I thought was a stumble I wondered what was going on and sure enough the words to the Canadian national anthem have been changed.

Earlier this year Canadian lawmakers passed a bill that would make the anthem more "gender friendly".  It's a very slight, but significant change.  Instead of "In all thy sons command," the anthem's lyrics have been rewritten to read: "In all of us command."

There was some opposition, but the Canadian Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of changing the lyrics to remove language who some felt was sexist.  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it a "positive step towards gender equality."

It's not the first time the Canadian anthem has been revised since it was written in 1908.  And it's not the first time for that particular verse.  "In all thy sons command" was originally "thou dost in us command."

The Canadian Parliament's National Anthem Act officially made "Oh Canada" that country's national anthem in 1980.  Do you know the words?

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.