Techotic

Well they did not trademark the entire song, just the line “with glowing hearts” and if that was not too bad they are threatening to sue anyone who uses the line in Canada as part of the Vancouver Games.

VANOC would only challenge the commercial use of the mottoes if a business began using them to create a specific, unauthorized commercial association with the 2010 Winter Games, said the statement.

O Canada is over 100 years old and, according to the Department of Canadian Heritage, is in the public domain so may be used without permission from the government.

The committee is so serious about protecting the Olympic brand it managed to get a landmark piece of legislation passed in the House of Commons last year that made using certain phrases related to the Games a violation of law.

The list includes the number 2010 and the word “winter,” phrases that normally couldn’t be trademarked because they are so general.

I wonder what the Greeks would say if they saw the commercialization of the Olympics that they are currently witnessing? They’d probably roll over in their graves, or they might summon one of their war Gods. I heard those things can be pretty scary.

Olympics trademark Canadian national anthem