The parliamentary vote changes two words in the anthem, altering ‘true patriot love in all thy sons command’ to ‘true patriot love in all of us command’.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter to celebrate the passage of the bill, hailing the decision as ‘another positive step towards gender equality’.

Proponents of the bill celebrated.

“I’m very, very happy,” Ontario Senator Frances Lankin, who sponsored the measure, told the CBC. “This may be small, it’s about two words, but it’s huge. . . . We can now sing it with pride knowing the law will support us in terms of the language. I’m proud to be part of the group that made this happen.”

“I had the privilege to be on the podium many times, and I never had the chance to sing ‘in all of us command,” said Senator Chantal Petitclerc of Quebec, a former Paralympian and gold medallist. “I can only imagine what they’ll feel when they’re on the step of that podium. . . . It’s an amazing moment.”

Others were less enthused by the changes. Long-time opponent of the bill, Conservative Senator Don Plett of Landmark, Manitoba said he was disappointed by the decision.

“It’s been a long fight,” he told the CBC. “I believe the Canadian public wanted a say in our national anthem, just like they had in the great Canadian flag debate. This is an issue for the Canadian public to decide, not just a couple of Independent senators.”