44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 15, 2022 10:00AM
- Sep/15/22 5:20:18 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, today we are here to commemorate Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and Canada’s longest-serving head of state, Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen lived a long life of duty, stability and public service and was an enduring and steadfast presence on the world stage throughout her seven decades as Queen.
I rise today to express my deepest condolences to the royal family as they mourn the loss of their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Experiencing the death of a loved one is never an easy process, and I hope that as they reflect on the life of Queen Elizabeth II, they can find comfort in the memories of the many moments they shared together. Serving for over 70 years, there is no doubt that Queen Elizabeth II made her mark on this world and in our collective history.
The Queen acceded to the throne on February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, taking on this enormous responsibility while in her twenties. On the global stage, many described her as hard-working and dedicated, always observing her duty to serve. In 1945, during World War II, she became the first woman in the royal family to serve as a full active member of the British Armed Forces when she joined the women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, working as a mechanic and truck driver before rising to the rank of junior commander. Up until her passing, she was the only living current head of state who served in the Second World War.
She later made headlines in 2003 when she drove the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia on a tour of the Queen's castle, perceived as a statement at a time when women did not even have the right to drive in Saudi Arabia. Then, in 2011, the Queen oversaw a change to succession laws that meant sons and daughters of any future British monarch would have equal rights to the throne.
The Queen was well known for her commitment to supporting charity and humanitarian efforts around the globe. She had relationships with over 500 charities, professional bodies and public service organizations, helping to raise over $2 billion for over 600 non-profits during her reign, more than any monarch in history. Organizations she supported included the Red Cross, the Royal College of Nursing and the Disaster Emergency Committee. Queen Elizabeth II was the royal patron to several Canadian charities as well, raising awareness and bringing recognition to the work of these important organizations, including the Canadian Red Cross Society, the Canadian Cancer Society, Save the Children Canada and the Canadian Nurses Association.
As we are a Commonwealth country, the Queen had a special significance to Canada. For the past 70 years, the Queen influenced Canadian history in ways that will continue to be felt into the future.
She was known to refer to Canada as “home”. In describing Canada, she once stated, “I am sure that nowhere under the sun could one find a land more full of hope, of happiness and of fine, loyal, generous-hearted people.” Several notable Canadians attended her coronation on June 2, 1953, including former prime minister Louis St. Laurent, former Saskatchewan premier Tommy Douglas and Chief Joe Mathias from the Squamish Nation.
As the Queen to Canada, her reign extended over the mandates of 12 Canadian prime ministers and 13 governors general. Several of her 22 visits to Canada occurred at critical junctures in Canada's history.
Her first official visit as Queen to Canada was in 1957. On October 14, 1957, she became the first sovereign to open a session of Canadian parliament in person and delivered the throne speech. In 1964, she attended the centennial of two pre-Confederation conferences in Charlottetown and Quebec City. A year later, she signed the royal proclamation that gave Canada its new maple leaf flag. She also took part in the opening ceremonies of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
In 1982, she returned to Canada for the proclamation of the Constitution to sign Canada’s constitutional proclamation. This enshrined the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and gave Canada independence over its Constitution. It also recognized the treaty rights of indigenous peoples under section 35, an important milestone for the legal recognition of indigenous rights in Canada.
The Queen also visited my home province, British Columbia, seven times in her life. As princess, she visited a Vancouver East landmark, the Pacific National Exhibition, in 1951, and then the Empire Stadium in 1959 as Queen. Hockey fans may remember her visit during the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, when she dropped the puck at a Vancouver NHL game. These moments help explain the way in which the Queen is embedded in many Canadians' national imagery and socio-cultural traditions.
Our nation's past and present are institutionally tied to the British Crown. For the last 70 years, no legislation has become federal law without Her Majesty's approval through the process of royal assent. To many Canadians, including myself, she is the only head of state we have known, and while we may not think about the British Crown on a daily basis, as we mourn her passing, it also invites a moment of reflection. As the member of Parliament for Vancouver East, a diverse, vibrant and active community, I have been reflecting on what the Queen's passing means for members of the community in Vancouver East.
For veterans in the community and across Canada, many felt a special bond with Queen Elizabeth II. A veteran herself who served in the Second World War, she was the commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces.
The Royal Canadian Legion, Canada’s largest veteran support organization, of which there are branches throughout Vancouver East, has a strong connection to the Crown. A recent statement from the Royal Canadian Legion explained that the use of the word “royal” in the name came about in 1961 upon the Queen providing consent for its use.
The Queen had a special connection to, and publicly showed her support for, Canadian veterans. She visited the National War Memorial in 1967, and later, in 2007, she rededicated the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, declaring, “the Canadian Corps transformed Vimy Ridge from a symbol of despair into a source of inspiration.”
I am thinking about the many veterans in Vancouver East, who find community in the Legion halls throughout the riding and who attend the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Grandview Park Cenotaph and the Chinese Canadian war memorial. These veterans responded to the duty to serve, not dissimilar to the manner in which the way the Queen responded to her duty to serve.
As a Chinese Canadian born in Hong Kong, which was under British colonial rule until 1997, I also reflect on the meaning of the Queen’s passing to those in my riding who immigrated to Canada from other Commonwealth countries or former British colonies
Given the developments in Hong Kong since the handover, with the national security law, many Hong Kongers are lamenting that they had more freedoms when Hong Kong was under British rule. That being said, we must also acknowledge that not everyone feels able to celebrate the life of a monarch or mourn her loss. Many Canadians feel pain and grief from the harms and injustices of British colonial rule.
The relationship to the Crown may be most significant and most challenging for indigenous peoples in Canada, for whom a direct relationship was established through royal proclamation, followed by the treaty-making process. The issuance of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 served as the foundation in the relationship between indigenous peoples and the Crown, recognizing indigenous land rights under the law and establishing a nation-to-nation relationship. While this predates both Confederation and the Queen’s reign, it is fundamental to Crown-indigenous relations.
It is important, as we reflect on the significance of the Crown's relationship with indigenous peoples, that we open space to hear indigenous voices, many of whom are grappling with the pain of colonization. Rather than bringing up feelings of national pride or nostalgia, the Queen acts as a symbol of colonization.
First nations leaders have called on the Crown to take further action on reconciliation. The B.C. Assembly of First Nations, the First Nations Summit and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs have called on the new King to make his first official act a renunciation of the doctrine of discovery, a component of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call to action number 45. As we reflect on the passing of the Queen, we must also make space to reflect on the damage of colonization that continues to impact indigenous communities.
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- Sep/15/22 5:30:59 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it was a beautiful summer day along the St. Lawrence River on June 26, 1959. In the city of Cornwall, we are accustomed to having guests and dignitaries visit the city every so often, but on that day, at the Moses-Saunders Dam in the city of Cornwall, there were several important visitors. The United States president, Dwight Eisenhower, and then vice-president Richard Nixon were joined by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip to open the seaway. The next day they travelled from Cornwall to Long Sault, Ingleside, Morrisburg and then Iroquois. Despite that being decades ago, there are still fond memories for many citizens who got to experience those wonderful days.
That visit to Canada and to my community of Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry came seven years into a seven-decade tenure and reign as our head of state. I want to start today with that story of remembrance and with my condolences on behalf of the people and residents of Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry on the passing of a wonderful head of state, our Queen.
In the emotions, it has been a bit of a unique feeling over the course of the last week as we have come to grips with a unique time in our history, a transition that few of us have ever seen and may not see again in our lifetimes. There is a sadness, without a doubt, an empty feeling, but there is also an opportunity to reflect and think on the life and service of the Queen. What more could we ask for? At 96 years of age, she had given 70 years of service as Queen and met her 15th prime minister only two days before passing. She was working and serving until her final days.
To think of the history and scope of it, it is fascinating that her first prime minister was Winston Churchill, and she wrapped up 70 years just last week with Liz Truss. In Canada, there were 12 prime ministers, from Louis St. Laurent to our Prime Minister today, the member for Papineau. In our Commonwealth, she had the opportunity to serve and work with 179 prime ministers over her lifetime. It will be a long time before we see a head of state match that feat.
There is a sadness, but there is also a sense of gratitude and thanks. There is the opportunity to mourn, but there is also the time, as we have heard several times in the chamber today, from our Prime Minister, several members of cabinet and those who have had the opportunity to meet her, to share stories about the Queen. We could take a walk down memory lane.
I want to thank Susan Peters from the Dundas County Archives in the western part of my riding, as well as Ian Bowering, who is a retired curator at the Cornwall Community Museum, who documented a couple of other visits and stories between our riding in eastern Ontario, our community, and the Queen.
In 1976, she had a wonderful visit to Upper Canada Village, which today still attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the site nearby, in Morrisburg, Ontario. She visited our area again, the city of Cornwall, in 1984, on a whistle stop tour through eastern Ontario, visiting the Cornwall Civic Complex and Trinity Church and then departing from the train station again. We were blessed to experience first-hand her class, her energy and the enthusiasm she had for our country and our Commonwealth.
Those stories go both ways. We remember the visits, which I have been able to recall here in the chamber today, but also I say it goes the other way around. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II hosted some residents of my community in the United Kingdom from time to time. One that I want to highlight today is retired member of provincial Parliament Jim Brownell, who also served for a period of time as honorary colonel for the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders. He had the honour, in June 2018, of having an audience with Her Majesty in that capacity, as the regiment was celebrating its 150th anniversary at that time. The Queen was the colonel-in-chief and Jim remembers that being an absolute honour.
I think of his Facebook posts. I was going back, thinking of the memories, and I remember Jim posting this: “A great way to celebrate the 150th anniversary of a proud and historic regiment...Will definitely be thinking of the residents and family back home, and those no longer with us. Especially thinking of my parents, today. They would, indeed, be proud.”
That recollection is important because the Queen's service passed over many generations. Young and old alike developed a respect and appreciation for her duty, for her service and for a word that has been used, rightly, many times in this chamber and over the course of the past few days: We thank her for the stability that she provided for our country and our Commonwealth.
That is something that we take for granted. Despite upheavals and challenges around the world, and challenges in our own country, which we face even to this day in various forms, there has been a continuity of democracy and a continuity of stability that she has provided for our country. For that we are grateful.
From the people of Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, we say to the royal family that our condolences are with them and our thanks are with them for the visits, for the memories and for all that the Queen did for the betterment not just of the Commonwealth and of Canada but for the world.
To King Charles III, the Queen Consort and the royal family, the King knows he has big shoes to fill and he knows that there are millions of Canadians in this country wishing him well. With all the tradition and protocol and pomp and circumstance that happen with a state funeral on the magnitude of what we are witnessing and will be witnessing in the coming days, it is important to note for the King and the royal family that we are losing a Queen and we are losing a head of state, but they are losing a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother as well. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.
We say today, rest well to the Queen, God save the King, and God bless Canada. I appreciate the opportunity to pass our condolences and share some wonderful memories of her 70 years of wonderful service.
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- Sep/15/22 5:38:39 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, in 1947, on the occasion of her 21st birthday and while on a world tour with her family, the future Queen Elizabeth II delivered a radio address to the entire Commonwealth of Nations and said:
I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.
I think we can agree that Her Majesty was true to her word. Throughout her remarkable 70 years as Queen, and it was a long life to be sure, she was fully devoted to the service of her many subjects. This includes that vast majority of Canadians born after 1952 who had never known another head of state. Her death last week at the age of 96 is a time for profound sadness and respect.
Every Canadian has some sense of connection to the Queen, whether fleeting or profound. That is because she was always there for us. While we all understood that she had an entire Commonwealth to serve, many of us, including me, like to think that we were her favourite, such was the deep connection she formed with Canada. Queen Elizabeth often said she had to been seen to be believed, and so she worked tirelessly to ensure that she was indeed seen and believed by her public.
Her 22 state visits to Canada include many of the most momentous occasions in the life of our country, including the centennial in 1967, the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, and the repatriation of our Constitution in 1982.
Some visits had unusual twists, like when Her Majesty visited my home province in 1984, and marijuana was found in our premier's luggage in the royal plane. Obviously he did not know how it got there, and a judge even speculated that a member of the media had planted it. It was all a royal fuss, and I am sure many MPs from other provinces have similar colourful stories about the Queen, pot and the RCMP, or maybe not.
Be that as it may, the Queen's experience allowed her to see how we see ourselves. In 2010, on her final visit to our shores, she said, “This nation has dedicated itself to being a caring home for its own, a sanctuary for others and an example to the world.”
The durable relationship between the monarch and her public was the direct result of the Queen's duty and devotion to public service. While these qualities often seem in short supply today, our Queen had them in vast, seemingly limitless quantities. Her sense of duty alone is reason to greatly mourn her passing.
Our Queen served a role of even greater significance than her own personal dedication to public service. I refer here to the role she played in preserving and protecting our remarkable democratic constitutional monarchy. While our system is greatly preferable to a republic, it nonetheless requires an astute but apolitical monarch to function properly.
The Crown must be dedicated to defending the public interest without ever imperilling the natural course of the elected government. She must reign without ruling. Doing so requires a delicate balancing act of tradition and modernity, tradition because Canada's current system of government dates to the earliest stirrings of our country. From the Royal Proclamation of 1763 to the founding of New Brunswick in 1784, a date of particular significance for my constituents, to Confederation in 1867, Canada has grown and thrived under our living constitutional monarchy.
In her interactions with the public and the pomp that surrounded her, the Queen offered repeated reminders of our connection to our institutional foundations, our long democratic traditions and our cultural ties to other Commonwealth nations. However, critics who claim the Crown is too focused on tradition and is an antique institution resistant to change have overlooked the many ways in which Queen Elizabeth was responsible for the remarkable reforms to the institution she embodied.
From embracing new forms of communication to recognizing the revolution in modern relationships, the Crown has changed with the times. Members will recall that the very reason Elizabeth became the Queen was that her uncle King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 because, at the time, it was unthinkable for a monarch to marry a divorcee. Today, her son Charles takes the throne with Queen Consort Camilla as his wife. Was the Queen hidebound? Hardly.
In all that she did, Queen Elizabeth exemplified a classically dignified approach to change. She worked tirelessly to defend the institution she represented while recognizing the need for its slow and measured evolution in line with public expectations.
The seamless ascension of King Charles III should be seen as a final testament to Queen Elizabeth’s commitment to the institution of constitutional monarchy. There was never a moment of confusion in the entire process. In fact, it happened before most of us even realized it, and it is happening still as bonds deepen, which is the remarkable authority of the Crown.
Finally, all Canadians can take great comfort in knowing that, as soon as he took his place, King Charles made direct reference to his mother’s own historic pledge from 75 years ago. He said, “That promise of lifelong service I renew to you today.” Such a commitment is exactly what Canadians have, need and expect from their monarch. The virtues of a head of state of discretion, dignity and duty have been passed from mother to son, from Queen to King. Queen Elizabeth’s ultimate and most lasting gift was to ensure her long years of work to safeguard that the continuity and stability of our constitutional monarchy will continue far into the future.
On behalf of my constituents, I recognize all that Her Majesty has done for this great country of ours. I thank our Queen Elizabeth. Long live the King.
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- Sep/15/22 5:46:18 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, last Thursday, as I was leaving my home for the airport and a flight to Ottawa, my wife brought to my attention news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appeared to be very ill and that the end of her life may be near. My first instinct was disbelief. I could not believe that the news just relayed to me could possibly be anything other than an overreaction or an exaggeration of the severity of her condition. Despite her advanced age, it simply did not occur to me that she could have had anything fewer than five, or maybe even 10, years left. Such was her hold on the consciousness of her subjects and the citizens of her many realms and territories that her mortality seemed beyond belief until her very final hour had come.
Born in 1926, she was among the last of what has been called the greatest generation. She was of the generation that defeated Hitler and steeled itself for the long, ultimately successful, prosecution of the Cold War. She was among the very last people still living to have served actively during World War II and certainly the last head of state to have done so.
It was during the war years that the public's awareness of the young Princess Elizabeth's devotion to duty began, and that devotion to duty would define her eventual 70-year reign. The Princess insisted on joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service when she turned 18, becoming the first and only woman of the royal family's nearly 1,000-year history to have worn a uniform in full-time defence of the realm. She trained as a mechanic and worked as a driver.
Following the war, during her famous 1947 radio address, which was still some years before her ascension, she declared that her life, whether it be long or short, would be devoted to our service. Her life was indeed long, and its total devotion to service would begin a few years later when, at 25 years old, she became Queen Elizabeth II and began what Churchill predicted would be a second Elizabethan age. The only Canadians now living who can recall a time before her reign are now more than 75 years old. The earliest childhood recollection of a world event for some of the very early baby boomers may well be the Queen's 1953 coronation.
She lived through nearly two-thirds of Canada's history and reigned for nearly half of it. She and her husband, Prince Philip, first visited my city in 1951, a few months before her ascension, when a miniature version of the Calgary Stampede was held in October. Of course, there was an early winter storm the night before and the royal couple were photographed sitting stoically in the grandstand watching rodeo and chuckwagon races with a reported temperature of 10°F. That is -12°C. Her sense of duty was very much in evidence, and despite these difficult conditions, Princess Elizabeth was reported in the Calgary Herald at the time as having endeared herself to everyone and expressing interest in visiting Calgary again in the future, which is something that she would go on to do four more times during her reign, most recently in 2005.
She was the perfect human embodiment of a constitutional monarchy. The occasion of her death is an appropriate moment to reflect on the great and enduring strength of this constitutional arrangement, one that underpins Canadian democratic government and our broader society. This is a constitutional arrangement wherein laws are made, laws are carried out and justice is dispensed, not by the sovereign but in the name of the sovereign.
This arrangement has safeguarded the freedom of people who have lived under it for centuries. She reigned with a sense of duty and without an expression of opinion on any public policy, and she did so with dignity and grace. She directly accepted the advice of 15 prime ministers without public comment, yet the memoirs of these prime ministers often mention how much they enjoyed their regular audiences with the Queen. They remarked on her intelligence, how closely she followed national events and the value they placed on her wisdom. This includes such transformational leaders of her time as Churchill and Thatcher.
This lifetime of devotion to her kingdom and her many realms and territories, including Canada, continued right up to and including the second-last full day of her life when she personally accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and invited Liz Truss to form a government in her name, thus becoming the final prime minister of her reign, a reign that began 70 years earlier when Sir Winston Churchill was prime minister.
Of that day, which was a week ago this past Tuesday, outgoing Prime Minister Johnson said, “she was as radiant and as knowledgeable and as fascinated by politics as ever I can remember and as wise in her advice as anyone I know, if not wiser.”
Such was her devotion to duty that, at age 96, while approaching her final hours, she presided over another seamless and orderly transfer of executive power from one prime minister to another. With her passing, another seamless transition takes place, which is that of the ascension of her son, King Charles III, a man who has already spent his life in service and in preparation for this moment, and who will undoubtedly serve with the same devotion to duty, honour, dignity and grace observed at close hand from his mother.
To the royal family and to all those over whom Queen Elizabeth reigned, I offer my condolences. May she rest in peace, and may the King long reign over us.
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- Sep/15/22 5:52:48 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour today to have an opportunity to express my condolences and also, on behalf on the constituents of the people of Courtenay—Alberni, to have the opportunity to rise today in the House to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. My thoughts are with the royal family, for their loss of a mother, a grandmother and great-grandmother, and with millions of others throughout the Commonwealth and beyond who relied on the Queen for comfort in times of uncertainty. May she rest in peace.
First, I want to express my appreciation for the many people in my community who are setting up services for Queen Elizabeth II on Monday, and also my disappointment that I cannot join them because I will be attending the national commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II here in Ottawa.
I want to thank the organizers of the many events in our riding, especially the Legions in our riding. We know that, back when the Queen was crowned in 1952, it was a different world. She took on the assumption of head of state at a time that was just after World War II, and her role in World War II gave her a lot of experience in and understanding of the need for dedication, commitment, empathy and strength. Our country was very different at that time. We were blessed with the visits of the Queen many times, and I am going to speak a bit about that and focus my attention on that because we have heard the many accolades for the many service roles that the Queen played, not just here in Canada but throughout the Commonwealth. It is a huge tribute to the Queen and her dedication and service to her role.
I want to talk about her visits to Vancouver Island. There have been many stories written in my local communities since the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II last week. Stories are pouring in throughout my riding.
Erin Haluschak, a local reporter in the Comox Valley Record, did a story that outlined and talked about the visits of the Queen to Courtenay back in 1971. She made a stop at Lewis Park, a really important visit in our community. She again visited the area in 1994, when she was opening the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, which as all of us remember was a huge honour for Canada to host. Certainly for British Columbia and for Vancouver Island, it was an incredible memory for all of us that we will never forget.
I also want to express thanks to Susie Quinn, a local reporter for the Alberni Valley News. She wrote a wonderful story in the Alberni Valley News about the visit of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip to our community more than 70 years ago, a little more than three months before she became our Queen. I want to thank her for outlining and talking about the Alberni Valley Museum. There was this wonderful photo that accompanied her story as well, which many of us know. It shows their visit, and it is a really great reminder.
We are proud that she chose to come to our community on her very first visit to Canada. Most of us have known no other sovereign, including me. She was a constant presence in our lives. I join many others in offering our heartfelt condolences to the members of her family, and in our prayers, she will certainly be there.
I am going to talk about some of the moments and some of the stories that people have shared. I am going to quote from that story from Susie Quinn. She writes:
Princess Elizabeth ascended the throne a few months [after her visit], on Feb. 6, 1952, after her father King George VI died. She was formally crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953.
At the time of their visit, the Alberni Valley was a thriving forestry town. It was a big deal for the Vancouver Island city to be included on a tour that featured appearances in places like Toronto, where hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets to greet the royal couple.
Port Alberni resident Bob Cole—
Bob Cole is a famous fisher in our community, who has been around for a long time.
—said he was only five years old when Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the city in 1951. At the time his parents, Arnold and May Cole, owned Klitsa Lodge at Sproat Lake. The lodge was known for its elite clientele, especially American business magnates and Hollywood stars.
“Klitsa couldn’t accommodate her entourage, but she and Prince Philip came out to tea at the lodge, served by my mother and father and staff at the lodge,” he recalled. The Queen’s entourage numbered 60 people and the lodge could only accommodate 46, so the group stayed at Eaglecrest near Qualicum Beach. “They came for tea. They stopped and had photographs taken at Sproat Falls.”
Patty Archer said her mother was 13 years old and used to tell the story of standing along the parade route. “She always remembered the thrill of the royal couple coming to the rather remote Alberni Valley,” Archer wrote in a social media post. “She was a staunch fan of the Queen her whole life.”
Joyce Evans remembers watching the then-Princess as the royal couple drove through Alberni on Johnston Road. “We went there with our teachers from Alberni Elementary School,” she said. “My mom, who passed away in March, remembers this day,” Helena Sperling-Beaulieu said. “She was a teenager watching. It was a fond memory for her.”
Ann Carney stated, “It’s very sad. I mean she did a wonderful job at 96.” Ann works at Churchill's British Imports in Parksville. She said, “A lot of people have been in today and are kind of sad about it. We all said what a wonderful woman she was and how hard-working she was.
Lorraine Bell, the Qualicum Beach Museum manager stated in a release, “Qualicum Beach has been visited by the Royal Family and served as a place of rest and relaxation several times over the years.”
In 1951, before her coronation, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip paid an informal visit to Eaglecrest Lodge back when the population of Qualicum Beach was just 760.
I will read from the PQB news social media page. Linda Thomas writes, “I think the Queen did very well at her job. She was steadfast, kind, dedicated and never veered far from doing her duty. She served during the war. She knew what war was. I haven't known any other monarch. May she rest in peace.” Those are very kind words.
My late great-grandmother, Winifred Denholme, and my late grandma, Joan Pearsell, were huge royal followers. Certainly, the Queen was a role model to them.
I reached out to my mom, Judy, to see how she was feeling about things and she wrote me a message. She said, “The Queen will be truly missed beyond any words I could ever express. Every time I saw her, she reminded me of grandmother, so full of faith, grace and love. She was an example to us all. At the end of the day, it is never about the positions we hold but rather about the gift of love and kindness we share with one another. She will be missed.”
As a young guy, I was certainly brought up following the royal family. I got dragged to Victoria to see the Queen downtown when she was visiting in 1983. I have to say that I will never forget the warmth of the wave from the Queen. It was very kind and loving. I very much appreciated her gentle approach in her role.
I cannot say enough about her sense of humour. She stood with Paddington Bear at 96 years old. It was a great demonstration of the fun person she was. I would have brought a marmalade sandwich today, but I am not allowed props in here. Again, it was a fun way to show that she really did enjoy her life.
The death of the Queen does highlight the important work of the monarchy to address past injustices. Many people around the world have had a troubled history with the British Crown, including colonialism, slavery, and the treatment of indigenous peoples here in Canada.
King Charles III has this opportunity for the first time in his life to move the monarchy forward in a way that he has never been able to and that is acceptable to today's generation. We know that on his most recent trip to Canada he cited that he had met with survivors of residential schools who demonstrated courage and shared their experiences. He acknowledged their suffering and talked about how much his heart went out to them and their families, but he has to go further. I hope that he will take that on sincerely in his new role and listen to indigenous elders and indigenous leaders and support the 94 calls to action.
Again, Queen Elizabeth II performed her role well with duty, service and devotion. I will truly treasure her memory. May she rest in peace.
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- Sep/15/22 6:02:52 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, before I begin, I want to offer my condolences and sympathies to all those affected by the tragic stabbings on James Smith Cree Nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire community.
It is an honour to rise today at this special sitting to provide some words of tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen's passing on September 8 has shaken us all. Last week, the world lost a monumental figure. Her Majesty was the epitome of grace, class and duty.
I would like to send my deepest condolences to the royal family and to Canadians across the country. We, as a nation, are in mourning over the passing of our Queen, and the numbers speak for themselves. In England, lines of mourners stretched for five kilometres, and in Canada, our online book of condolences alone contains more than 170 pages of signatures, and I am sure there are a lot more since I wrote this speech earlier.
In my own constituency office in Brampton West, hundreds of people have stopped by to pay their respects. Words used to describe the Queen in the press and in the books of condolences evoke her grace, her dedication to service, as well as her humour and diplomacy. To many, including me, she was a beautiful presence, a beacon of hope and stability in a shifting and increasingly fractured world.
In public life, she modelled respect, duty and humility, qualities that are sorely lacking in today's political dialogue. Her Majesty was the Queen for almost half of Canada's existence. Her reign spanned more than seven decades, and in that time, she witnessed and participated in Canada's growth and prosperity as it grew into the strong, inclusive country it is today.
Over the course of the past seven decades, Her Majesty was always there for many of our major milestones. It was only 40 years ago that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was adopted with the signing of the proclamation of the Constitution Act, 1982, by Her Majesty and the former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
She was present for the proclamation of the national flag of Canada in 1965, the establishment of the Order of Canada and broader Canadian honour systems in 1967, and the celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the admission into Confederation of Manitoba, the Northwest Territories in 1970, British Columbia in 1971 and Prince Edward Island in 1973. Her Majesty was also present for the drop of the puck at the NHL hockey game in Vancouver in 2002.
On one of her many visits to Canada, she also visited the City of Brampton to celebrate the 100th anniversary as a town in 1973. I was not born then, but I can say that on her royal tour, she and Prince Philip were taken to Gage Park during the official centennial celebrations. I know many Bramptonians still remember that day and have talked about that day in many of the conversations I have had with my constituents over the last week.
There are so many more moments that Canadians will cherish forever. Her Majesty remains the first Canadian monarch to open Parliament and deliver a speech from the throne in 1957. She was the first female member of the royal family to actively serve in the military and had a meaningful relationship with the Canadian Armed Forces as their commander-in-chief. She visited many ships and military bases across the country and presided over many military ceremonies.
Canada, of course, was the most frequently visited country by Queen Elizabeth II, and she had a strong relationship with our country. She made it a point to tour every province and territory, beginning with a five-week cross-country tour in 1951, which was followed by 22 official visits over the years. She often called Canada home and described us as a land “full of hope, of happiness and of fine, loyal, generous-hearted people.”
It was in 1947, at the age of only 21, that she vowed her whole life would be devoted to the service of the Commonwealth, and she honoured that promise until her very last day at the age of 96.
In 2002, Her Majesty reminded the world of the importance of service, community and compassion through her words, “Our modern world places such heavy demands on our time and attention that the need to remember our responsibilities to others is greater than ever.”
Her Majesty embodied these very words herself through her devotion and commitment to service. She was a sponsor of over 600 organizations, including 36 in Canada, many of which reflected her own interests and passions, such as education, health, children and science.
Her Majesty was a role model for selfless service that inspired so many here at home and across the globe. She will forever be remembered for her commitment to service, volunteerism and the betterment of society.
As Minister of Seniors, I have often reflected on the powerful and inspiring example the Queen gave of the value and worth of all elders. She worked to serve others until her final breath. Her resilience and contributions well into her advanced years are a reminder that seniors are a valuable asset. That makes us a very lucky nation. Canada's seniors are growing in ranks, so we can lean on a multitude of older Canadians to guide us into the next era.
Canadians will remember Her Majesty for her wisdom, advice and compassion. She was a source of stability and strength for all. She brought guidance, direction, confidence and courage to our nation and never failed to provide steady and reassuring messages, especially during times of global crisis, and particularly recently with the COVID-19 pandemic. Her words always held great weight.
It was in 1974 that she said these lines, which have stuck with me since the very first day I came across them: “We may hold different points of view but it is in times of stress and difficulty that we most need to remember that we have much more in common than there is dividing us.” These words have held a large place in my heart and serve as a constant reminder for all of us of how similar we truly are, regardless of our backgrounds or political stripes.
Her Majesty has always had a constant presence in the life of Canada, and she will be deeply missed. She had a deep love for Canadians and Canada, and she will be remembered for generations to come. On behalf of all Canadians, I thank her for her countless years of service and dedication and for the vow she made 75 years ago, which she never steered from.
My thoughts go out to her family, for whom she was a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. I know I join many Canadians, including in my own community of Brampton West and across the country, in mourning the end of an era.
I also wish to commend His Majesty King Charles III on his accession to the throne. His commitment to service, his focus on climate and his commitment to renewed Crown-indigenous relations all bode well for the future. Long live the King.
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- Sep/15/22 6:11:26 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and to offer my sincere condolences and those of the constituents of Brandon—Souris to her family and loved ones.
Upon the death of Her Majesty, it feels like we have lost a member of our family, because we have; someone so familiar, so ever-present and so enduring. Her Majesty was timeless.
On the year of her Platinum Jubilee, and after her final official duty of asking the incoming British Prime Minister to form a new government, she sadly left us after a lifetime of service.
From serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a mechanic in the British army during World War II, to her passion for assisting charities, and her many official duties, she has never been one to stay idle.
Her Majesty was not just the Queen of the United Kingdom and the head of the Commonwealth, she was Canada's Queen.
She said this during her visit to Canada in 2010:
My mother once said that this country felt like a home away from home for the Queen of Canada. Prime Minister, I am pleased to report that it still does.
No matter where she went, throngs of Canadians, both young and old, would wait for hours to shake her hand or to get a glimpse of her. It has been inspiring to see so many from around the globe share their heartwarming stories and their interactions. For many, Queen Elizabeth II was a symbol of grace and eloquence. To others, she was their head of state and commander-in-chief. To all of us, she was an extraordinary woman and embodied the very best of duty and service to others. She transcended generations. While everything changed around us, she was a pillar. During the most tumultuous times, she provided stability. She was a north star to many and a role model to millions. Quite simply, she was not just a queen; she was my Queen.
From a young boy going to school in Elgin, Manitoba, she was present in our morning singing of God Save the Queen, and her picture was prominently displayed in our school. Our family watched Her Majesty's annual Christmas Day speeches and took to heart her words of encouragement and calls to action. For her, faith, family, community, charity and dedication to her subjects were paramount. From being the first monarch to open a Canadian parliamentary session, to celebrating Canada's centennial, to being there on the day we patriated our Constitution, she was ever-present.
Anyone who went to a hockey game at the old Winnipeg Arena would fondly remember the most magnificent painting of Her Majesty nicely settled between the two flags.
For myself, the first act of becoming a member of Parliament in 2013 was to swear that I would be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It is the same oath every single living member of Parliament, current or retired, has taken for 70 years.
Over her reign, many Canadians, including myself, felt a deep connection to the Queen. During her reign, she made 22 visits to Canada. From dropping the ceremonial puck, as has been mentioned many times today, at a Vancouver Canucks hockey game, to watching her daughter compete at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, she and her family were no strangers when they visited our country.
Personally, I had the opportunity to meet her son, Prince Edward, twice while I was a member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly. The first time was during a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting, which, ironically, was held on Prince Edward Island. The second time was in Winnipeg, where he presented the Duke of Edinburgh gold medals to Manitoba's top cadets, two of whom were from my provincial constituency of Arthur-Virden at that time.
My most memorable occasion with Her Majesty was having the opportunity to shake her hand during one of her six visits to Manitoba. It was at the legislature in 2002 to celebrate her Golden Jubilee while I was an MLA. While it was only a brief encounter, her warmth and grace shone through. It was during that visit that thousands of Manitobans had travelled to the city to celebrate her jubilee.
It was also an extraordinary moment when she unveiled the refurbished Golden Boy statue, which is pitched on the dome of the Manitoba legislature. To have the Queen, on her Golden Jubilee, unveil the Golden Boy, which is one of Manitoba's most famous symbols, is a memory I will never forget.
During Her Majesty's many trips to Manitoba, she was able to visit even the smallest rural and remote communities, including Churchill, Thompson, Gillam, Flin Flon, Norway House, Swan River, The Pas, Dauphin, Carman and many others. She visited these communities to better understand the province and the people who call it home.
Just recently, The Brandon Sun ran a wonderful story about the Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Anne and now King Charles's 1970 visit to the Bailey farm outside of Carberry, Manitoba. They were able to take a moment out of their busy schedule to ride horses and inspect the crops at the Bailey farm. Sure enough, 40 years after her farm visit, Mr. Bailey had an opportunity to meet the Queen in Winnipeg. She spoke fondly of her time on his family farm. This speaks volumes to me that the Queen was just as comfortable on a farm in rural Manitoba as she was at a state banquet or at Buckingham Palace.
Her love for the outdoors and horses remained constant throughout her years, and of course we all know of her dogs, her dear corgis. Since 1969, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has donated eight horses to Her Majesty, with her favourite being the first horse, which was named Burmese. When Burmese retired from parades and public duties, the Queen said, “Right, I’m retiring too, from those I’m not going to ride anymore because without Burmese it won’t be the same.”
To symbolize their unique relationship and her connection with Canada, a statue of Burmese and Her Majesty can be found north of the Saskatchewan legislature and a second can be found outside the Governor General's residence here in Ottawa. They will stand as a lasting reminder of her love of our country and will connect us with past and present.
I wish to remark on Queen Elizabeth II's devotion to task.
Last week was historic. On Tuesday, she welcomed Liz Truss, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with a formal handshake. Our Queen passed away on Thursday, and on Saturday, a new leader of the official opposition in Canada was elected. I doubt three such significant events between our two nations will ever happen again in such a short span of time.
After seven decades, it is hard to imagine a world without her. It is impossible to encapsulate her positive influence in Canada and in our own lives. Her Majesty's legacy is profound, and it marks the end of an era and the beginning of another. May her memory live long in our hearts and her devotion to duty inspire us as we carry on our work to serve the people we represent.
God save the King.
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- Sep/15/22 6:20:02 p.m.
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There being no further members rising, pursuant to order made earlier today, the House will resume statements on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the next sitting of the House.
Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to order made earlier today.
(The House adjourned at 6:22 p.m.)
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