MP Mauril Bélanger dies at 61

Long-time Liberal member of Parliament Mauril Bélanger died at the age of 61 following a highly public battle with ALS- also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Belanger pushed for a gender-neutral national anthem. His bill passed a third and final reading this past June, after being blocked several times, changing the line from “In all thy sons command” to “In all of us command.”

Belanger represented the riding of Ottawa-Vanier since a by-election in February 1995- winning his eighth consecutive election in last fall’s Federal election.