Conclusion. With Glowing Hearts

• Author: Colleen Sheppard
• Pages: 149-159

149

conclusion

With Glowing Hearts

With glowing hearts, we see thee rise

— “ocanaDa”1

  and inclusion is a collective project.

“With glowing hearts, we see thee rise,” part of Canada’s national

anthem, speaks to the sense of well-being that is evoked when we all

rise, as a community and as a society. Equality is not a project that

is only relevant for those who have been subjected to discrimination

and exclusion; it requires change and engagement from everyone; it

occurs in and through our relations with others. In changing how we

respond to inequality and injustice, we do not lose; we gain. Advan-

cing equality is our collective obligation. “With glowing hearts, we

see thee rise” is also a positive phrase that evokes a feeling of equal-

ity and inclusion. It has symbolic signif‌icance, as part of the Can-

adian national anthem.2 It conveys a hopeful message: we can be a

society that is more equitable and less discriminatory. But both the

melody and the lyrics of the national anthem also contain phrases

that evoke feelings of exclusion and inequality, reminding us of

continuing struggles for inclusion and representation. The history

of the anthem contains insights about who has the power to repre-

sent a country, about colonialism, and about divides across language,

gender, and race.