A Canadian singer who performed "O Canada" prior to the start of Thursday's 4 Nations Face-Off championship game changed one of the lyrics in an apparent protest.
Chantal Kreviazuk modified the line "all of us command" to "that only us command" in an apparent response to President Donald Trump's proposal to turn Canada into the 51st U.S. state. The line "all of us command" had been added to the Canadian national anthem in 2018 to replace the lyric "all thy sons command."
Before Thursday's game, Kreviazuk said she sang "all thy sons command" instead of the amended lyrics.
"During soundcheck I sang the wrong words, 'in all thy sons command,' out of habit, and when I analyzed the new line I thought, wow — this could mean something so pertinent to our country in this moment with a change in just two words, three syllables," she said. "I didn’t dream that such an effect would be had by deciding to go out there and do it. But it really felt like the right thing to do."
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Thursday's battle between Team USA and Canada was the second time in a week the countries' top hockey players met on the ice. When the two teams squared off in Montreal on Saturday, a smattering of boos could be heard during the U.S. anthem. Likewise, some booing came during the Canadian anthem from American fans.
After the U.S. won on Canadian soil on Saturday, Canada returned the favor on Thursday, toppling Team USA 3-2 in overtime to claim the 4 Nations Face-Off crown.
After Thursday's championship game, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared to take a shot at President Trump in a social media post.
"You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game," he said.
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Following the game, Kreviazuk, a native of Winnipeg, said she received love and support for her protest.
"The anthem is not a lawful document; it is an expression of the collective, and it changes from time to time when the moment demands it should. So yes, in this very peculiar and potentially consequential moment, I truly believe that we must stand up, use our voices, and try to protect ourselves," she said.
