The anthem singer who performed the Canadian anthem prior to the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game Thursday night changed a lyric in “O Canada” as a response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated remarks about making the country the 51st state.
Publicist Adam Gonshor in an email to The Associated Press confirmed Chantal Kreviazuk changed the lyric from “in all of us command” to “that only us command” and confirmed Trump’s 51st state comments were the reason why. During the game, Kreviazuk told the AP she did it “because I believe in democracy, and a sovereign nation should not have to be defending itself against tyranny and fascism.
“I’m somebody who grew up on music that spoke to the heart and the moment, and it shaped me as a songwriter and really as a human being. I don’t think it would be authentic to me to be given a world stage and not express myself and be true to myself.”
Don’t get hung up on the details, because they change over time. When I was in school, that line was “in all thy sons command” (I’m fine with them replacing it to be less sexist, but don’t ask me to sing the new version from memory!)
Go further back, and “from far and wide” drops out, if I recall correctly.