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Path: utzoo!utcsri!utai!lesperan
From: lesperan@utai.UUCP (Yves Lesperance)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Re: O Canada vs. New York
Message-ID: <729@utai.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 25-Sep-85 12:22:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: utai.729
Posted: Wed Sep 25 12:22:29 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 25-Sep-85 14:38:10 EDT
References: <347@zaphod.UUCP> <3900015@csd2.UUCP> <2537@watcgl.UUCP> <804@lsuc.UUCP>, <884@utcs.uucp> <638@mprvaxa.UUCP>
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
Lines: 25

In <638@mprvaxa.UUCP>, Tim Bray (tbray@mprvaxa) writes:

> If you want to be really nauseated, go look up the first verse in French.
> Enough to turn you into an instant separatist.

As a not so atypical French Canadian, I must confess that I haven't been turned
into an instant separatist by the "O Canada".  Do you attribute the loss of
the Yes side in the referendum to lack of exposure to the anthem?

More seriously, I fail to find anything offensive in that first verse, "O
Canada, terre de nos aieux".  I simply perceive that as a reference to our
attachment to the land, our family and ancestry, and history.  I feel that these
values are still deeply ingrained in the French Canadian psyche.  Overall, I
certainly agree that the anthem is dated; Quebec society has changed
dramatically since those rural and religious days.  But I find that the
datedness of the song gives it a certain charm, and there's a lot in it that is
still valid.

I am not familiar with other countries's anthems, so I can't really compare.
But what would you want to replace it with?  A version of the theme from Rambo
Should we put in a reference or two to the latest political mood shift,
lees government, less taxes, and a BMW in every driveway?

Yves Lesperance
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