MOOSE JAW — Canada’s national anthem is usually played at the start of athletic events and sometimes at meetings, but its patriotic words will soon ring out inside city council chambers.
During council’s recent regular meeting, Coun. Carla Delaurier introduced a motion that O Canada be played at the start of every meeting beginning on Monday, June 9.
“As a municipal government, our Canadian identity and pride can be further expressed by the respectful observation of our national anthem preceding our land acknowledgement at regular meetings,” she said. “Both practices reflect the unity we share as Canadians who value our heritage.”
The national anthem is a long-standing tradition that people observe in schools, at hockey games and during some community meetings, she continued. Moreover, the time it takes to sing the song is under two minutes.
“… in light of our country’s renewed and growing patriotism, I respectfully bring this motion forward,” Delaurier said.
She indicated that she would not judge any of her colleagues who opposed the motion, while she hoped residents respected those members who disagreed with the idea.
“It’s not a matter of having or not having civic pride in this building (because) it’s (already) here,” Delaurier added. “This is just one more way to share that amongst ourselves and to the public.”
Coun. Heather Eby said that while she’s patriotic, loves her country and flies the Canadian flag in her front yard, she was opposed to the motion. She acknowledged that the anthem is performed at hockey games and in some schools, but didn’t know of it being played in other business meetings.
Continuing, she pointed out that several years ago, an invocation kicked off every council meeting with the city clerk reciting a statement. However, council eventually eliminated that since it believed the chambers were a place of business and there was no place for such a statement.
“I get that pride thing, I get the patriotic thing, I get all that,” Eby said. “I just don’t know … this is really hard. I just feel like we’re cornered if we vote against (this and we’d) be lambasted. I don’t think it is necessary in a business meeting.”
Coun. Dawn Luhning said she’s had a Canadian flag hanging outside her home for two months but agreed with Eby’s comments. She pointed out that the Canadian flag, the Saskatchewan flag and the city’s flag stood behind the group, which should be enough.
Coun. Chris Warren asked city administration how it would handle this logistically and whether it would be an issue, with city manager Maryse Carmichael saying the city clerk could play the song over the speakers and it would not be a problem.
Mayor James Murdock said he had heard that Saskatoon plays the national anthem before its council meetings. He then asked administration to confirm the veracity of that.
City clerk Tracy Wittke confirmed that was true, making that municipality the only one out of 16 cities in the province to do so.
Coun. Patrick Boyle had no issue with playing the national anthem since it took only 74 seconds to sing. Moreover, it “wasn’t out of the realm of what’s normal” since Saskatoon was already doing it, while playing the tune should happen in more places.
“I’m not sure what American councils do, but the anthem and flag in the United States (are) played everywhere,” he continued. “And in the current state of things, maybe this helps with more of that Canadian pride.”
Coun. Jame Logan said he was indifferent, but noted that if one person became more patriotic after listening to the anthem in council chambers, then the song had done its job.
“We’re all proud to be Canadian, otherwise we would not be sitting up here. We are proud to be from Moose Jaw and it shows that with the flags,” he added. “But what’s 74 more seconds?”
Council then voted 5-2 in favour of the motion, with Eby and Luhning opposed.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, May 26.
