Women and children do not remove their hats on such occasions. It is traditional for civilian men to take off their hats during the playing of the national anthem. When anthems are played at the end of an event, O Canada should be played last.Īs a matter of respect and tradition, it is proper to stand for the playing of O Canada this is also the case for the anthem of any other nation. If 2 anthems are to be played at the beginning of an event, O Canada should be played first followed by the other one.

It is up to the organizers to determine if O Canada will be sung at the beginning or at the end of a ceremony. There is no specific rule as to when it is appropriate to sing the national anthem at an event. Read the full history of O Canada and learn about the lives of the people behind the anthem. On January 31, 2018, legislation was passed to change the English lyrics from “True patriot love in all thy sons command” to “True patriot love in all of us command,” to make it gender neutral. It was Weir's lyrics that became the official English version in 1980. The music for O Canada was composed in 1880 by Calixa Lavallée - a well-known composer at the time - and the French lyrics were written by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier.Īs the song became more and more popular, many English versions were written over the years, including one based on a poem written in 1908 by The Honourable Robert Stanley Weir. History of the national anthemĪfter 100 years of tradition, O Canada was proclaimed Canada's national anthem in 1980. Download the sheet music with the official lyrics in English and Frenchĭownload the sheet music with the official lyrics in English and French. The official lyrics of O Canada are available in bilingual and unilingual versions.

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