Pace on Earth

Use Somebody

Most everyone has probably heard about the flap over a Belleisle elementary school principal who "banned" the daily singing of O Canada at his school. When I heard the initial reports I thought he was a fool and agreed with Rex Murphy that the word inclusive has been turned upside down. A little further investigation, thanks, sadly, to the fact that the principal in questioned has been demonized and threatened, we see that this was terribly overblown.

The "banning" actually took effect a year and half ago and was not actually a banning at all. As opposed to daily, it was to be played, and sung, monthly at school assemblies. The flap was raised by a concerned parent who lost a nephew in Afghanistan. She may have had her heart in the right place but she also states that we are losing all of our traditions "like the pledge of allegiance". We don't have a pledge of allegiance...but I digress. The firestorm she started got picked up by the media and kicked up by blowhards in Ottawa looking to use somebody to grandstand while the kids at that school lost someone who seemed a capable, caring principal.

I urge you to check out the interview from the CBC here. It should be noted that I LOVE our anthem and think the proudest moment of my life was getting to sing it while wearing a Canadian jersey with my teamates. It does not come close, though, to representing my patriotism.

Pace out.

Labels: The Anthem

posted by Vitamin S @ 9:22 p.m.