“In All of Us Command” – In Memory of Capt. Nichola Goddard

As I get ready to attend our youngest daughter, Kayleigh’s Graduation from High School this afternoon, my thoughts naturally turn to her future and the promise that starting out in Canada should hold. I am concern however that notwithstanding strides we have made since the Charter of Rights was enacted on April 17th, 1982, we still have paternalistic attitudes embedded deep in the Canadian conscience and reinforced by many national institutions including our Anthem.

Growing up in Cape Breton in the 60’s-70’s, I was often struck by the deplorable way we treated minorities and the homophobia that was rampant and accepted. I was also puzzled by the constant reference to “woman’s work” or “man’s work” and the artificial gender distinctions we made as a society that resulted in what I came to know as the “glass ceiling”.

Anyone who grew up on a farm like my parents never really enjoyed the luxury of such distinctions – everyone had to pitch in when necessary to get the food from the field and onto the table. Being one of four children with Dad working at Sydney Steel and Mom staying home to look after us, we didn’t have a lot of extra cash.

When Mom wanted a new set of kitchen cupboards and couldn’t afford to buy them or hire a carpenter, she built them herself with Dad’s help (who was not as talented as her in that department). When we boys started playing Chess and we couldn’t afford a nice Chess set, Mother whittled one from a spare broom handle and then hand made the fold up storage box that opened into the playing Board.

When she was busy with other things, Dad would often cook for us and always helped her with the dishes and house work when he could. No disrespect, but Mom could not make fishcakes nor ice cream like Dad could!  What this taught me is that ‘work is work’ and we all had to do our fair share; and, I could be whatever I wanted - so too my sister and brothers. It all comes back to the desire, drive and will to make it happen.

While studying at St. F. X., I became increasingly frustrated with artificial distinctions, including the words of our National Anthem – “in all thy sons command”, a phrase that serves no useful purpose and was belittling to woman! I thought we should change the words. I was saddened when official changes to the Anthem took place in 1980, but this divisive phrase remained.

I did nothing until Captain Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard, MSM (May 2, 1980 – May 17, 2006) was killed in combat. She was the first female Canadian combat soldier, and the 16th Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan. How could we not now recognize the importance of commanding in all of us, true patriot love?

In late 2006, I wrote to newly elected Prime Minster Harper in hopes that he might see the political value in championing such a change of wording, but never received a reply. For all I know, he may not have even seen it. I did nothing more, other than adopting these words whenever I sign ‘O Canada”. I have passed this message on to my Cadets, reporters (like Rick Grant of ATV News) and others who will listen.

This morning, I made a donation to Justin Trudeau’s campaign, (one of my connections), in honour of Kayleigh’s graduation; and, in the hopes that he may be elected and see the value of making this and one other change to our Anthem to be more inclusive for all Canadians.

For new citizens, it must be discouraging to sing “Our home and native Land”. In honour of our First Nations peoples perhaps it should be “Our home on Native Land”! Knowing this will be politically unsavory (too blunt and honest for most), the Motion that was passed by Toronto City Council in June 1990 has merit.

It recommended that the phrase be changed to "our home and cherished land" for the reasons explained by Councillor Howard Moscoe: “the words native land are not appropriate for the many Canadians who were not native-born”.

I only became aware of this Motion while writing this post and was very pleased to see that the Motion also recommend "in all thy sons command" be partly reverted to "in all of us command." as sons implied, according to Moscoe, "that women can't feel true patriotism or love for Canada”. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Canada

I do hope that Justin, as our next Prime Minster, acts on Toronto’s and others’ recommendation in this regard for all our sakes and we finally shatter the glass ceiling so all our children can ‘reach for the top’, regardless of sex, preference, creed, colour or national origin. Let us do so in memory and honour of Capt. Nichola Goddard and the ‘true patriot love’ she believed in and died for!

– “Lest We Forget”

PS: In searching for an appropriate photo for this post, I selected the above shutter stock photo and was pleasantly surprised to link to an article that confirms this has already been placed on Parliament’s agenda by a Liberal MP! Please see: https://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/09/ottawa-vote-making-o-canada-lyrics-gender-neutral/

Sure is a Small World!