[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Grey Fox]

Do not touch the French version. We are fine with our archaism, thank you very much.

[Barrister]

Oh Canada does have much better lyrics in French, IMO.

And sign me up for Malthus's proposed fix to the english version.

[viper37]

Ô Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,

see, there's a problem right there.  We use the masculine form of the noun.  Gender is a modern construction, so we need to use the feminine word (aïeulES) with emphasis on the feminisation of the word, as his proper

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

That one is allright.  Mostly because I have no idea what it means and how to translate it

Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,

Because your arm knows to wield the sword
issch.  Way too militaristic.  Canada is a peaceful nation.  I suggest: Car ton bras sait porter la fleur (flower).

Il sait porter la croix!

He knows to wear the cross
That is deeply offensive to non Christians, the cross has no meaning for them.  Got to find something neutral.  Il sait porter le croissant would sound both to Muslims and Canadian fans of Tim Horton's.

Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.

Your most brillant acomplishments (I guess...)
'right.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,

And your value, of tempered Faith
I don't like it one bit, it seems disrespectful to atheists like me, linking the worth of one individual to his Faith.

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Protect our homes and our rights
In itself, it could be good, but linked with the previous line, it implies individuals will be responsible for protecting our collective rights and our homes, which is a clear violation of the Canadian Constitution which contains no provision for a well regulated militia.
In these times of dangerous mass shootings, it could give the wrong idea to the wrong kind of people.  I say let's drop it alltogether.

Wielding the sword and the cross? Tisk. 

Yeah, awful, I know.

[viper37]

Oh Canada does have much better lyrics in French, IMO.

They were written in the 19th century, IIRC, and it shows.  Which is kinda nice, even if I'm not a traditionalist.

And sign me up for Malthus's proposed fix to the english version.

Yeah, me too, I like it.  Better than my own. 

[Grey Fox]

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

That one is allright.  Mostly because I have no idea what it means and how to translate it

Monarchist & militaristic.

[Jacob]

They should have changed it back to ""thou dost in us command", which was the lyric until 1914: the "sons" was a wartime addition, to give it a more military flavour.

The version they chose loses the deliberate archaism and also the poetry.

Yeah, I'm fine with "thou dost in us command". That's better than "in all thy sons command" for sure, BB's "it's fine to use 'sons' to refer to men and women" argument notwithstanding. I'm fine too with "in all of us command", which is just a slightly updated version of the original (as opposed to the clear rewriting of the "sons" line).

[Valmy]

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

That one is allright.  Mostly because I have no idea what it means and how to translate it

Monarchist & militaristic.

Thy brow is um...(girded?) by glorious...um...flowers? Well not flowers. I assume that is a reference to fleur-de-lis. So you have fleur-de-lis on your brows.

[Malthus]

They should have changed it back to ""thou dost in us command", which was the lyric until 1914: the "sons" was a wartime addition, to give it a more military flavour.

The version they chose loses the deliberate archaism and also the poetry.

Yeah, I'm fine with "thou dost in us command". That's better than "in all thy sons command" for sure, BB's "it's fine to use 'sons' to refer to men and women" argument notwithstanding. I'm fine too with "in all of us command", which is just a slightly updated version of the original (as opposed to the clear rewriting of the "sons" line).

I don't like the new version actually chosen, but I won't lose any sleep over it either.  I just think it doesn't sound "right" at all. It is jarring to have "updated" language in a song that is full of archaisms - to start with, "O, Canada" is itself archaic (who starts anything with "O" these days?). Never mind the "stand on guard for thee". If you are going to use "thee" you really ought to use "thou".

[Grey Fox]

An ornament in the form of flowers. Sometimes in the hand guards of swords. The next line mentions swords.

[Jacob]

I don't like the new version actually chosen, but I won't lose any sleep over it either.  I just think it doesn't sound "right" at all. It is jarring to have "updated" language in a song that is full of archaisms - to start with, "O, Canada" is itself archaic (who starts anything with "O" these days?). Never mind the "stand on guard for thee". If you are going to use "thee" you really ought to use "thou".

I start sentences with "O" every day, though it's usually followed by the person's name... so not quite in the same way as the anthem.

[Malthus]

I don't like the new version actually chosen, but I won't lose any sleep over it either.  I just think it doesn't sound "right" at all. It is jarring to have "updated" language in a song that is full of archaisms - to start with, "O, Canada" is itself archaic (who starts anything with "O" these days?). Never mind the "stand on guard for thee". If you are going to use "thee" you really ought to use "thou".

I start sentences with "O" every day, though it's usually followed by the person's name... so not quite in the same way as the anthem.

Thou jesteth.

[crazy canuck]

Liberals pushing ahead changes to the Anthem:

"In all thy sons command" is to become "In all of us command".

No sir, I don't like it.

It's nice to see, in this dangerous world, that they can concentrate with laser-like focus on the really important issues of the day. 

Some very crafty PR going on.   They are making some other significant changes that are happening below the radar while the media and the Conservatives get lost in petty issues. 

[Jacob]

Some very crafty PR going on.   They are making some other significant changes that are happening below the radar while the media and the Conservatives get lost in petty issues.

Do share...

[viper37]

Some very crafty PR going on.   They are making some other significant changes that are happening below the radar while the media and the Conservatives get lost in petty issues.

Do share...

they are renegating their promise on provincial health transfers, among others.

[crazy canuck]

Some very crafty PR going on.   They are making some other significant changes that are happening below the radar while the media and the Conservatives get lost in petty issues.

Do share...

The list is long, but to hit some of the most significant areas where the government's position has changed dramatically: public sector bargaining; aboriginal land claims and specific claims negotiations; immigration; discretionary ministerial spending including spending in areas of Provincial jurisdiction.   

It is a broad range but the result is a dramatic change in direction from the Conservatives.