Op-Ed: Infringing On Majority Rights Over Canadian National Anthem

Canadians have been treated to a rather extreme version of a too common refrain on minority rights. A New Brunswick school decided without public discussion to curtail the practice of singing the Canadian National Anthem each morning.

Two families asked that the singing stop because of its reminders of lost loved ones in Afghanistan. While all of Canada feels their anguish, putting an end to a long standing daily practice that has always been appreciated by loyal and proud Canadians should not be overrun out of hand. The school principal who made the decision was Erik Millett, an unsuccessful Green Party election candidate. He made the decision in 2007, and parents of Belleisle Elementary School students are only now becoming aware of his unilateral actions. Whatever statements Mr. Millett is making to Canada is for him to explain, however, his actions are an abuse of the majority. While one can argue that, Oh Canada, could be improved on, it remains the Canadian anthem, like it or not. It remains a symbol for millions who endured hardship through the long formation of a great country. It remains a symbol of remembrance for lives lost in preservation of a way of life. It remains a symbol of gratitude for a rare freedom that most human beings can only perceive from great distances with wistfulness. It remains a symbol, and until it is replaced with a better one or an improved version, it is the only one Canadians have. Leave it alone, and allow all children to sing it with joy. There’s enough time for children to become apathetic as they become adults. James Raider writes The Pacific Gate Post