O Canada Becomes National Anthem

Date: July 1, 1980 • Location: Paris, France

"O Canada" officially becomes the national anthem of Canada.

"O Canada" is the national anthem of Canada. The song was originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Théodore Robitaille for the 1880 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony; Calixa Lavallée composed the music, after which French-language words were written by the poet and judge Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier.