Yeah, good idea man, I think it'd sound cool if you started off with sort of a jazzy clean tone, then cranked up the drive for the louder part of the song. I wouldn't throw a Vai and use a whole lot of compression and delay, though - you don't want too sharp a contrast between the soft and loud sections.

By the way, don't ask me how I know the Canadian National Anthem, as I am from Australia. :confused: