Letter to the Editor

With the recent discussion about changing the wording of O Canada I am reminded of what we did at Queen's with the Queen's song in the early 1980s. 

I was Acting Director of Athletics for one year, 1962-63, between the departure of Pat Galasso, Arts/PHE’65, and the appointment of Al Lenard, BA’49, PHE’50. Again I was appointed to the job for five years, 1983-88, after Al’s retirement and prior to Rolf Lund's tenure. 

About 1984, I encouraged our Men's Interuniversity Athletic Committee (MIAC) to be pro-active in righting some shortcomings in terms of gender inequalities at Queen’s. We recommended to the Women’s Interuniversity Athletic Committee and subsequently to the University Council on Athletics, that the Senate change the wording of the Oil Thigh song. Instead of  “...so boys go in and win!”, we recommended that the wording be “...so Gaels go in and win!” I do not recall exactly when it was approved and implemented, but it was a small gesture that was long overdue.  

I feel the same today about O Canada. My point is that the initiative came from the MIAC.  

Bob Carnegie, Arts’61, PHE’62
Kelowna, BC