Manitoba moves to get rid of rule for singing of ‘God Save the King’ in schools

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew speaks to school children ahead of the the speech from the throne at the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski

WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government is planning to eliminate a little-used rule that says students must sing “God Save the King” every school day.

The provision has not been enforced in decades but was recently revived in the Mountain View School Division in western Manitoba.

The move was met with public opposition from those who said it was not consistent with truth and reconciliation measures.

Education Minister Tracy Schmidt says the bill, if passed, would also require school boards set up a policy on land and treaty acknowledgments in schools.

The NDP government has also put forward a bill to enshrine its school nutrition program in law.

That bill would require food programs to be available in all schools and would cut pay for any cabinet minister in the future that changes the law.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6, 2025.

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press