To celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, the Canadian federal government plans to spend $17.5m on local community projects and a national musical “soundtrack”.

The plan was announced by Canadian heritage minister Mélanie Joly at Toronto’s Daniels Spectrum Theatre on Monday. She spoke in front of a string orchestra on Monday morning who later played Drake’s Know Yourself – perhaps a hint of its place on the country’s definitive song list?

Of the funding, approximately $7.5m will go to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and be used to fund “the Canada 150 musical mosaic”, a soundtrack created with the Polaris Music Prize that will feature over 36 orchestras from across the country and showcase work of Canadian musicians.

If Canada is going to compile a list of songs identifying it to the world, there are plenty of contenders – and plenty of tracks to stay away from (Avril Lavigne’s Sk8r Boi comes to mind). So which songs should make the cut?

Here are seven suggestions we think the country should consider. What are your favorite songs by Canadian artists? What would you add to the Canadian national soundtrack? Tell us in the comments. But no Nickelback!

Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now

Without Joni Mitchell, a Canadian soundtrack would be incomplete. Both Sides Now is one of her signature songs: it won her a Grammy award in 1969, made Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and was featured in a devastating scene of Love Actually.

Drake – Started From the Bottom

Drake’s musical talent and fierce loyalty to Canada make him a no-brainer for this soundtrack. There was even a petition in 2014 to replace Canada’s national anthem with Started From the Bottom.

Grimes – Oblivion

Grimes is cool, edgy and young. Her album Visions was hailed as “one of the most impressive albums of the year” by the New York Times and her song Oblivion was named number one on Pitchfork Media’s 200 Best Tracks of the Decade So Far in 2014.

Justin Bieber – Sorry

While some are ashamed to admit it, there’s no denying that Bieber has added to the Canadian musical landscape. He achieved fame young, had a few run-ins with the law for charges including vandalism and driving under the influence but his recent song Sorry has helped him get back into the people’s good graces.

The Weeknd – Earned It

Despite only entering the music scene about six years ago, The Weeknd has already won two Grammys and he was the first artist to simultaneously hold the top three spots on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart. His song Earned It won him one of his Grammys and was also nominated for an Academy award as the lead single for the soundtrack in the film Fifty Shades of Grey.

Shania Twain – You’re Still the One

Twain has won five Grammys, has stars on Canada’s Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. She’s been dubbed the Queen of Pop and more than earned herself a place on Canada’s soundtrack.

Neil Young – Rockin’ in the Free World

Young, the Godfather of Grunge, won numerous awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, once for his solo career and again for his membership in Buffalo Springfield. His song, Rockin’ in the Free World, was even fought over by American presidential candidates, when Donald Trump walked out to it at the launch of his presidential campaign without permission, and Young promptly informed him that he was a Bernie Sanders supporter.