Haskayne alumni helped to change O Canada for all of us

Two Haskayne alumnae, Audra Stevenson, MBA’17, and Lasha Haché, MBA’17, started off their post-MBA careers with a project of historic proportions. They played a part in making the national anthem more inclusive.

“We came in at the tail end of this long journey,” explains Stevenson. “When the Haskayne Career Centre office suggested this potential volunteer project — the issue spoke to me. We could not have something so symbolic leave out a whole spectrum of our society. I am so happy that we could provide the burst of energy to get this bill through the Senate vote.”

Haché adds, “It was so exciting to be a part of this unique project that has a big impact in the community. Eventually it will become the norm to have an anthem that is more inclusive.”

Setbacks along the way

In 2002, the Famous 5 Foundation delivered a petition to Senator Vivienne Poy, one of the Famous 5 monument donors, to change the words, ‘in all our sons command’ to the more holistic, ‘in all of us command.”  Although it officially received Royal Assent on Feb. 7, 2018 thanks to Senator Frances Lankin’s leadership, it was a change that might have not come to be.

After his first Private Members’ Bill to change the lyrics of O Canada failed, former Liberal MP Mauril Belanger persevered and finally the House of Commons overwhelmingly passed his second bill on June 15, 2016 and Frances Wright, BA’68, Honorary degree recipient’14, founder and former CEO of the Famous 5 Foundation and initiator of the restoration campaign, was finally seeing progress on this historic change prompted by UCalgary professor, Betty Donaldson.

But then it hit the Senate where it sat for more than a year and a half despite the efforts of Senator Nancy Ruth. However, Wright could not let this bill die a slow death when it took so many years to get it there.

Providing new energy to speed the vote

“How lucky all of us are that Stevenson and Haché joined forces with Kendall Titchener to form the Sing All of Us Committee in August 2017,” says Wright. The aim of this committee was to invigorate the conversation around the national anthem, creating momentum to gain approval of the Senate.

“We revitalized a grassroots movement to get this over the finish line,” said Stevenson. “We set to work creating marketing materials, doing community outreach, building relationships with media, and cultivating strategic partnerships. We employed digital strategies — email and social media.”

Educating people on the status of the issue was key; many were surprised that the change had not already happened. The committee reached out to over 50 local Calgary organizations and influencers and fanned the message out to their personal networks reaching more than 500 additional people. The team encouraged individuals to send letters and emails to Senators to urge them to bring the bill to a free vote and then pass it.

Mobilizing the tremendous energy and network of the Women’s Marches from across Canada illustrated to the team that this issue was important and relevant across the country, with 15 of the marches working to incorporate the more inclusive lyrics at their events.

“For me — all of our work was about bringing people together. This is a first important step in making an anthem that all Canadians can see themselves within,” Stevenson explains.

Wright raved about the partnership with Stevenson and her two colleagues. “They immediately and enthusiastically contributed their extensive contacts and superb social media skills which resulted in Senators receiving many, many expressions of support from all over Canada for restoring our anthem,” says Wright.  “It was pleasure working with them. Such fine professionals! Outstanding Canadians!”