Vancouver If you're a Canadian and a hockey fan, close your eyes and hum these few notes: Dunt-da-dunt-da-dunt-dunt. OK, it requires some imagination, but if you're a true Canadian you will know the third 'dunt' is emphasised. Played properly with trumpets to the fore, it's as close to a national clarion call as Canada will ever have. Indeed, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's hockey theme song is so familiar that it's often called the second Canadian anthem, and it's probably the most hummed tune in the country. It's been getting plenty of airplay lately, but not for anything to do with hockey - CBC has now lost the right to play the tune after licensing negotiations with the song's 80-year-old composer went sour, and the rights were snapped up by the rival CTV network for millions. It all came down to money, and for Vancouver-born composer Dolores Claman, a little respect. CBC, it seems, fell short in delivering both. Ms Claman composed the tune in 1968 while on contract to an advertising agency. She was paid a flat fee and then later negotiated through an agent a regular payment per use. Ms Claman, now living in England, told a reporter that she averaged between C$2,000 (HK$15,187) and C$10,000 each year from CBC for the rights to use the song. In 1993, after she licensed the song, she was paid about C$500 for each broadcast. CBC says that under those terms, it paid her C$65,000 last season. But when the rights came due recently, the negotiations dragged out until the private CTV network blindsided everyone this month and announced it had purchased the rights for the song. Ms Claman's daughter, Madeleine Morris, set up a website to tell her family's version of the story, accusing CBC of bullying her mother by telling her the song was worthless. Ms Claman, her daughter said, had originally only wanted the same deal as before, C$500 per episode, but that was rejected by CBC. It was only after a vehement public response to the suggestion that CBC was considering dropping the theme that the broadcaster began negotiating further, according to Ms Morris. She said her mother at that point was so depressed that she didn't want to pursue the matter. 'It's better at least if it dies a dignified death,' wrote Ms Morris. When CTV made their offer, the private broadcaster promised the song would be used in association with Canadian hockey - and that was what mattered to the composer. 'CTV displayed a tremendous amount of respect for my family and the song,' said Ms Claman in a statement after the new deal was announced, referring to the song - once officially known as The Hockey Night in Canada Song - as The Hockey Theme. CTV - which CBC claims paid up to C$3 million to use the theme for its sports network and in the upcoming Vancouver Olympics - says it stepped in to negotiate with Ms Claman only when it appeared that the song was up for grabs. 'It's an honour and a privilege to own such a cherished piece of Canadiana,' said Rick Brace, CTV's president of revenue. CBC said it is moving forward with a national competition to have the Canadian public compose a new theme song. The prize will be C$100,000. The winner, undoubtedly, will want to consult a really good copyright lawyer. Tomorrow: New York