Not sure this belongs under the "Programming" category or not, but I noticed earlier today Artisan posted something about his frustration over Canada apparently not keeping their Public Domain Database up to date. I don't see that post now so I guess he deleted it (don't know why, it seemed fine). Anyway, his of mine...
The Canadian national anthem "O Canada" was written in 1880 as a patriotic song for French Canadians, but that was a hundred years before it became Canada's national anthem.
Briefly, the story goes like this...
The Governor of Quebec commissioned the song (French lyrics) for the Saint Baptist Day celebration in 1880. The original title was "Chant National" and though it was popular back in France it was unknown in Canada until it was performed for a royal tour in 1901.. but it still didn't gain any popularity since Canada was an English-speaking country.
So, they just translate the song into English, right? - No, In 1908 a lawyer in Montreal instead wrote an entirely different original poem set to the same melody as the original French version, but the english version was by no means a translation of the original French.
So, the new version titled "O Canada" went on to be considered Canada's national anthem from that point on. It's interesting that 62 years later, in 1970, Canada's government purchased the rights to the English lyrics for a symbolic $1, and then eventually in 1980, "O Canada" was officially adopted as the national anthem by the National Anthem Act.
I just think that's an interesting story that I had never heard, but you may be wondering why I looked into it's history at all? I'm not Canadian, nor have I ever been there....
It all started when I created an ai recreation of "The Star Spangled Banner" which I really liked, and after reading Artisan's post I thought; I ought to play around prompts with the Canadian National Anthem lyrics - it's just as familiar and well known a song here in the states as it is in Canada, so why not?
I tell you one reason why not, Sunu ai won't accept the lyrics, says it's copyrighted...
And that's what led me into superficially looking into the song history. There's a lot of confirmed Public Domain songs that the ai incorrectly flags as copyrighted, "O Canada" being one of them, but it's definitely in the public domain. With other public domain songs I can just substitute a word or phrase here or there and get past it, but obviously can't go changing words of a national anthem just to get ai to sing it!
Anyway, thought it was an interesting story about Canada's national anthem - which most certainly is a public domain song!
Interesting bit of history. Never knew. I thought it was written in the later 60s when Canada officially became independent from Britain and our flag was born.
Interesting bit of history. Never knew. I thought it was written in the later 60s when Canada officially became independent from Britain and our flag was born.
Ah!, I didn't know that either but it explains why Canada didn't purchase the song rights (for one dollar) until 1970.
... in the later 60s when Canada officially became independent from Britain and our flag was born.
Not pretending I know anything about any of this, I actually presumed Canada had been independent for hundreds of years till you pointed out otherwise, but although
February 15, 1965 marks when the Canadian red maple leaf flag was established, Canada didn't become fully independent until 1982 (which really surprised me.
In summary of info based on History.com and Wikipedia
Canada’s independence was not a single event like the American Revolution, but a gradual "evolutionary process". While Canada became a country in 1867, it only achieved full legal sovereignty in 1982.
July 1, 1867, (celebrated now annually as Canada Day) Canada was established as a self-governing nation but Britain still controlled it.
December 11, 1931, Britain granted Canada legislative independence. From this point, Canada was legally co-equal with the United Kingdom and gained full control over its own affairs.
April 17, 1982 The Canada Act 1982 was signed by Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, This ended the last legal tie to the British Parliament— resulting in Canada becoming a completely sovereign nation. while King Charles III is the official Head of State, his role is entirely ceremonial and does not interfere with Canadian self-governance in any way.
History site also has an interesting article titled "America's History of Trying to Acquire Canada" https://www.history.com/articles/united-states-canada-william-seward
Speaking of Canada, this article from February 6 2026
Canada plants a flag in Greenland
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/06/canada-greenland-consulate-opens-flag-00769338
Foreign Affairs Minister Anand insists Nuuk is a long-term Arctic play — with Anchorage up next.
NUUK, Greenland — Canada opened a consulate in Nuuk on Friday, signaling support for Greenlanders rattled by President Donald Trump’s sovereignty threats while trying to avoid a fight with Washington...
@richpowers Are you sure that picture isn't AI? Greenland does not belong to Canada.
Yes now that I remember it was Trudeau in I guess 1982 as you saw that finalized the independence from Britain officially and "God Save The Queen" as our anthem changed to Oh Canada. And Trudeau also rewrote our own constitution for us breaking away from Britain. But I remember the flag was created by Lester Pearson I believe in 1965 as you found out and still flew side by side with the Union Jack flag of Britain till the official turn over in 1982.
Oh I see what it is about the Canadian flag in Greenland....Canada opened up a consulate there!
@mark Yeah, it's from the linked article, just saw it myself.
.. But Anand’s flag raising in Nuuk on Friday carried some extra diplomatic heft: Gov. Gen. Mary Simon — the king’s representative in Canada — plus, the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Jean Goodwill, which anchored in Nuuk’s picturesque harbor.
“It also is a show of support for Greenlanders during a time in their long history, where they are feeling a sense of anxiety and concern,” Anand said. ..