44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 15, 2022 10:00AM
- Sep/15/22 12:34:56 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our late Queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Before I do so, I would first like to give my condolences to the families and members of the James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, as they have just buried many of the dead and are suffering from the great tragedy that has beset them.
I rise on behalf of many of the constituents of Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill to pay tribute to the Queen and offer condolences to the royal family and King Charles III. I say “many” because not everyone feels the same way about the monarchy or the Queen. Many members in this House have already referred to that.
Our relationship with the monarchy is complex. There is a history of colonialism, and there are feelings from indigenous people and francophones that do not always align with the monarchy. However, there are many people, including me, who greatly admired the Queen and her life of service.
The Queen embodied many things. One of them, for me, was family. Family has always been so important to me and to many of my constituents, as well as to many Canadians. The Queen put family first. I believe her example in being a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother and in caring for her family above all was one set for all of us and one that we should all admire.
Although I did not have the opportunity to meet the Queen as many people in the House have, I feel like I did meet her through my family. My grandmother, Marie Ellen Taylor, was born in England. She went to school in Ireland and moved to Canada as a young woman. I could not help but notice all of the cookie tins, plates, china cups and photos of the Queen in her home. She was certainly proud of our Queen. She was proud as a Canadian, and she certainly shared that with all of us.
It was not just the Queen's dedication to family. It was also her great dedication to service. When we look at the over seven decades the Queen served, we see exemplary service. She, above all, wanted to connect with people. She was Queen of the Commonwealth, and as so many have already mentioned, she loved Canada and visited us often. I believe her connection to Canada was real and that she was not only connected to her subjects here from the past but that she grew and changed as Canada grew and changed. Her acceptance and desire to get to know so many parts of Canada and so many people was great.
There is a quote I want to read that made it clear that she believed in inclusivity and respected multiculturalism in Canada. She stated:
...it is as Queen of Canada that I am here—Queen of Canada and of all Canadians, not just of one or two ancestral strains. I would like the crown to be seen as a symbol of national sovereignty, a link between Canadian citizens of every national origin and ancestry.
Later, the Queen would say, “This nation has dedicated itself to being a caring home for its own, a sanctuary for others and an example to the world.” Her last message was to express solidarity and sympathy to the loved ones of those who tragically lost their lives on the James Smith Cree Nation reserve. She cared about our issues. She cared about our country.
I go back to her legacy of service and think about how she connected with people. She was the first queen to have a televised wedding. Of course, it was the first time television was available, but she also initiated walkabouts. Many members of this House have spoken of how many hands she shook, how many people she saw personally and all of the stories and memories written in the book of condolences. She definitely touched people. The importance of human connection and the recognition of individual dignity and the pursuit of good governance is one of Queen Elizabeth's legacies.
In a speech given to the United Nations in 2010, she stated, “I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together.”
It was this commitment to hope and unity that strikes a chord with so many who remember her lifetime of service, composure and personal strength, and offers a profound example for us as democratic representatives of the Canadian people.
I know that many will miss her. As a strong female presence in our world over a very long period, a period of change and tumultuous times, she always offered a vision of faith and hope. It is that faith and hope, I believe, that we still need as we move forward today.
I know I will miss her caring, stable presence in our world and that many will. Her absence is a loss for us all.
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- Sep/15/22 5:05:20 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, with profound sadness I am here to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
However, on a positive note, I first want to note the 18th anniversary of Melanie Namespetra, who has worked with me on the Hill as a constituency assistant and legislative assistant. We have had a whole series of wonderful moments over 18 years of my 20 years here. I want to thank her and her family for all the work they have done on behalf of Windsor, Ontario, Essex and Canada.
I want to offer my condolences to the royal family. The Queen was a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. The royal family is certainly going through a lot of emotions, even recognizing the fact that it has to share this moment with the entire planet. It is very difficult doing so in the public eye. I wish them the best during this difficult time.
I also want to thank Drew Dilkens, the mayor of Windsor. Our mayor is showing leadership in including the public. There will be a public viewing of the Queen's funeral at 5:45 a.m. on September 19 outdoors at City Hall Square. I want to thank Mayor Drew Dilkens for doing that. As well, there will be a public memorial service at All Saints' Anglican Church at 6 p.m. It is right next to that area. People are asked to RSVP for that.
Of particular note, it will be led by the Essex and Kent Scottish regiment to recognize that this year is the 80th year since Dieppe. The Essex and Kent Scottish regiment played a leading part in those operations and suffered significant losses in their duty during the Second World War. I will talk a bit about that now, with regard to the Queen as well as connections as to why this is important for our country and our Parliament.
I will share a little about my experiences too. I had the chance to meet the Queen in Toronto. I will talk a bit about that later.
I want to note that some of my family came from England. We grew up at the kitchen table hearing experiences about what took place during the war, what took place with the royal family and a number of different connections. My biological grandfather was John Clifford Addison. I did not know him. I have his medals, his soccer medals and war medals. He died on the HMS Scorpion in the fall of Burma.
It was lucky that my grandmother, Irene Attwood, was able to marry Fred Attwood. He served in the Royal Navy on the Ark Royal and the MacCallum. My grandmother, Irene, and my mother, Jean Masse, Jean Attwood at that time, survived the bombing raids in London. My mother just gifted me last year a scrapbook of the Queen that she made during that time and during her teen years.
There are lots of papers and news articles going back to the start, 70 years ago, that were published in the British papers, official programmes and so forth. I will be sharing them on the 16th on my social media. I took some pictures of them.
It is interesting, through the eyes of my mother at that time, to see all the work that went into this collection of materials. I think that experience was translated later on with better understanding. Fred Atwood was a merchant and I mentioned he served in the Royal Navy. He spent a lot of time serving his country, but he came to Canada.
I grew up with big band music playing in the background sitting at the kitchen table with my grandmother making scones and having tea and talking about life in England. Recognizing Her Majesty's commitment during wartime was part of the discussions. It was a continuation of the life they had in England which extended over into Canada.
It is important that we recognize the duration of Her Majesty's tenure. It lasted so long. During her 70-year reign there were 179 individuals who served as her prime ministers, including 15 British and 12 Canadian prime ministers. Her first British prime minister, Winston Churchill, was born in 1874. The last British prime minister to be appointed by the Queen was Liz Truss, who was born 101 years later, in 1975. She was appointed by the Queen just two days before her death.
As I mentioned, I had the chance to meet Her Royal Highness when she visited Toronto. As a child, I was in Windsor, Ontario, when the Queen visited. Like many of my age, we were on the side of the road as she drove by and waved. It was an interesting experience as a kid.
Later on, the Queen participated in a number of ceremonies in Windsor. Obviously, with a name like Windsor, there is a connection that is very strong. As well, we are a border city that fought significantly in the War of 1812. We are also the place of the Underground Railroad. When the British Empire finally got rid of slavery, many people came to our area for freedom from the United States. There was a recognition that it was a better place. Slavery is still one of those issues that languishes. I am hoping that the new King recognizes some of the suffering that still takes place from the awful state of slavery over generations. However, we have those connections.
Later on, it was Jack Layton who was supposed to attend a luncheon for the Queen at the Royal York. Jack, the former member for Toronto—Danforth, could not make it, so I got the call to represent him. It was a 90°C summer day, and I was staying at a hotel. I will try to describe it so that people get an idea of what one goes through.
For people who do not know me, I am not a very formal person. A tuxedo was required. I am not very good at protocol either. However, for me to get into a tuxedo was an accomplishment in itself, let alone doing it during a blackout, which took place at that time. I had to go down the hotel stairs, 11 storeys in 90°C weather, walk over to the Royal York where about 100 guests huddled in the dark.
At the time, we were to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. We were sent a protocol sheet, which was much needed for people like me, to know what to expect. We were to get in line, and when our turn came, we would walk to the Queen, do a certain type of greeting and then move to His Royal Highness. We would then move to another room for the event.
Well, I am terrible at protocol. I got the right greeting for the Queen but when I got to His Royal Highness, I froze, and people were behind me. I said, “Hey man”, and he smiled and laughed, and then I moved on. The moment was kind of special, because I was there to try to be as respectful of the protocol as possible, but it did not matter.
We then moved to the next room for lunch where the Queen spoke. It was interesting, because she talked about Canada. She did not talk about anything other than Canada. She talked about the visits she had made across our country, whether it be the Northwest Territories, British Columbia or the east coast. She mentioned Windsor as well. We had that type of exchange and then the event was over. It was interesting, because I had grown up with this at the kitchen table.
Another interesting thing is that she was the most travelled world leader, having travelled to 117 countries and almost 56 Commonwealth nations. She was also the first monarch to visit West Germany, China, South Africa and other African nations and almost every corner of Canada during her 22 visits. Listening to someone with that type of experience is always interesting in itself, and then having these different connections was really important. I think the kind of common element in what was taking place in Canada was very special.
As I mentioned, her reign was not perfect. One of the things that I am hoping to see is some reconciliation with our first nations. I am hoping that King Charles III does that and will recognize that there has to be more, which is necessary to have reconciliation. It is one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's points, and I am looking forward to that. I think it would help not only myself but maybe young Canadians as well as we try to move forward with a connection to the monarchy in our country, but it needs to come with recognition of what has taken place in the past.
In closing, I send my condolences to the royal family.
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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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