It is a sad day in poetville, when Poetry Quebec(PQ) applauds our Prime Minister for reneging on a promise. What will PQ do next? Applaud the Opposition for sitting on their hands?

 

And what was the Prime Minister's promise?

 

"Our Government will also ask Parliament to examine the original gender-neutral English wording of the national anthem."

 

This is hardly a promise! And reneging puts Stephen Harper alongside Poetry Quebec: Two renegades in a pod.

 

It was Shelley who said, "Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world." And so, the Foundation for Public Poetry rushed in where fools fear to tread. Or, where Parliament feared to tread.

 

The foundation had the "nerve," in the words of PQ, to conduct a contest and then endorse "True patriot love in all persons command." Shame on us.

 

The contest—more accurately a call for suggestions—was prompted following the death of Calgary Herald journalist Michelle Lang in Afghanistan. It seemed disgraceful for people to sing "True patriot love in all thy sons command," following the death of this valiant writer. And dishonourable!

 

After receiving submissions from all 10 provinces, a short list was presented to three descendants of Robert Stanley Weir(author of O Canada) for their opinions. Their reasons and further background on the issue is found at www.publicpoetry.wordpress.com

 

The word "persons," contrary to what Papier Q insists, is not "subliminally sexist." When the Supreme Court of Canada in 1928 ruled that women were not persons fit to be appointed to the Canadian Senate, that was not subliminally sexist, it was demonstrably sexist. Or perhaps, monstrously sexist. Fortunately, the Privy Council over-ruled the Supremes and concluded that yes, women are indeed persons.

 

Two years after Judge Weir died in 1926, our Supreme Court wrote the following:

 

"We are, for these reasons, of the opinion that women are not eligible for appointment by the Governor General to the Senate of Canada under Section 24 of the British North America Act, 1867, because they are not "qualified persons" within the meaning of that section."

 

And this sexist, chauvinistic, power-play perspective is still rampant. Of course, if I were the Prime Minister I would appoint Endre Farkas to the Senate. Why, I'm not sure. But why not? There is no real reason any Senator is appointed, other than perhaps allegiance to Canada.

 

In closing, I must thank PQ for having the courage for discussing the issue of O Canada in public. If only the Harper government had as much courage, maybe one vestige of Canada's sexist past would be removed. This is perhaps the only thing that is politically correct: allowing for debate!