Manitoba MLAs weigh proposal for daily singing of O Canada at legislature

Ian Froese · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 09, 2025 9:24 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Manitoba's MLAs may soon beryllium showing disconnected their pipes — and their Canadian pride — connected each legislative sitting day.

Elected members look poised to inquire the legislature's rules committee to survey an Opposition Progressive Conservative connection to person O Canada sung each time that the legislature sits.

In beforehand of the solution being debated Thursday morning, interim PC Leader Wayne Ewasko told question period the "daily onslaught of U.S. and Chinese tariffs" has shown "it is important that we each admit the important things that marque america Canadian and portion of the Commonwealth."

The governing party wouldn't accidental if it endorses the regular singing of the nationalist anthem, but NDP House person Nahanni Fontaine sounded receptive when she told reporters the nationalist anthem is commonly heard wrong and extracurricular the legislature.

"We sing O Canada erstwhile our bills person royal assent. We sing O Canada erstwhile we're astatine games. We sing O Canada each the time," she said.

"We're each precise proud."

'Permanent symbol' of pride

Fontaine said it was lone a fewer days ago the government addressed American threats to Canada's sovereignty by hosting a "rally for Canada" event in beforehand of the elephantine Canadian emblem draped implicit the legislative building.

"We're lasting up for our country," she said.

The substance of the PC solution reads that singing the nationalist anthem each time would be a "permanent awesome of corporate Canadian pride."

It suggests the nationalist anthem beryllium sung aft the regular supplication and onshore acknowledgement.

Ewasko called connected the NDP to enactment the resolution during question play Wednesday.

"It's important that we amended our children and the younker connected our Canadian history, our traditions and our heritage," helium said.

While the Tories are asking legislators to unanimously enactment the resolution, the statement isn't necessary.

Traditionally, enactment House leaders conscionable privately to sermon imaginable regularisation changes, which are past referred to the lasting committee connected rules of the House.

The committee is chaired by the Speaker of the House, and includes the NDP and Progressive Conservative House leaders, arsenic good arsenic the legislature's only Liberal member.

In the Manitoba Legislature, O Canada and God Save the King are traditionally sung connected 2 occasions: aft the throne code astatine the commencement of each session, and pursuing the royal assent ceremonial astatine the extremity of each session.

Provincial legislators person shown a willingness successful caller years to marque adjustments to the accepted opening of legislative sitting days.

The state adopted a onshore acknowledgement successful 2021, portion the existent NDP authorities archetypal expressed an involvement successful 2024 successful making the regular prayer more inclusive of radical who practise faiths different than Christianity and those with nary religion astatine all. Any changes to the supplication indispensable besides beryllium referred to the rules committee.

In Ottawa, the nationalist anthem is sung connected a play ground erstwhile the House of Commons is sitting.