Jully Black's change to Canada's anthem is how true reconciliation works

This is a column by Shireen Ahmed, who writes opinion for CBC Sports.  For more information about  CBC's Opinion section , please see the  FAQ .

The first song I learned was the Canadian national anthem and it was the first song I ever sang publicly. (I acknowledge I have a terrible singing voice.) I heard it every day in school — in both French and English — for over a decade.

The national anthem is something of which I was taught to feel proud. Calixa Lavallée wrote the music in 1880 to accompany a poem written by Adolphe-Basile Routhier. It was officially adopted when the National Anthem Act was passed in 1980. 

The lyrics were changed to be gender neutral in 2018. Previously there had been a disastrous and unofficial attempt to change the lyrics by former Tenors member Remigio Pereira at the MLB All-Star Game in 2016.

Pereira changed the lyrics to reflect an All Lives Matter sentiment. That spectacular failure led to him being ejected from the group. I did not see the incident live, but read about what had happened. I remember feeling astounded that he reworked the anthem. The audacity! 

Throughout my youth, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride when the anthem was played at the Olympics as the Canadian flag was flown. There were moments when I definitely teared up watching athletes sing loudly as they stood on the podium. I knew the lyrics but had I really paid attention to them? 

That changed drastically for me as an adult when I learned more about Indigenous history in this country. I am from an immigrant experience and am so cognizant of the privileges I have from having a Canadian passport, having access to universal health care, and all the freedoms we enjoy. In places that I have visited and