The Tenors change lyrics of O Canada at MLB all-star game

Last week’s high-profile incidents that resulted in deaths, including two black men being killed by police and the subsequent shooting of five officers during a protest in Dallas, has brought the Black Lives Matter movement to the forefront of the national discussion.

The Tenors say they are “deeply sorry” for a political statement made during the singing of O Canada on Tuesday night before the Major League Baseball all-star game in San Diego.

The singer held up an “All Lives Matter” sign during his surprise stanza, drawing some boos from the stands.

Fox didn’t air the Canadian anthem to viewers in the USA, but the change in lyrics was not lost on those living and working in Canada. Some have debated the differences on social media between the moniker “Black Lives Matter” and “All Lives Matter”.

Canadian vocal quartet “The Tenors” issued an apology after Tuesday’s controversy at the MLB All-Star Game which led the group to suspend Remigio Pereira indefinitely. The Juno Award-winning group has recorded multiple platinum albums in Canada and have performed around the world, the AP reports.

Some viewed it as an innocuous statement.

Others saw that phrase as anything but innocent – critics said it was created to squash a nascent national conversation about police-related violence against African-Americans, by switching the subject.

Although there was some applause during their performance, reaction afterwards was overwhelmingly negative, judging by comments posted on Twitter.

Many Canadians were demanding an apology from the group.