It is an honour to stand in this House today to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I wish to thank the Premier for the opportunity to do so.

As the world mourns the passing of our Queen, we cannot help but be in awe as we reflect and acknowledge the scope of her public service for over 70 years. That 70 years of tireless and dignified service has made her one of the most recognized and famous people in our history.

She was a figure of national pride, continuity and stability, not only at home but around the world. Remarkably, she never faltered, even though she had the tremendous responsibility of also being a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Her Majesty, who grew up being affectionately known as Lilibet, is the only British monarch trained to change a spark plug. She learned to do so when she undertook national service, joining the auxiliary transport corps during the Second World War. Perhaps this is why she generously supported our Canadian Legions and our veterans. The “royal” in Royal Canadian Legion came to be in 1961, after Her Majesty graciously consented to using the title.

Her first overseas tour was to South Africa in 1947 along with her parents. During this tour, Princess Elizabeth celebrated her 21st birthday in Cape Town and delivered what would become one of her most well-known speeches of all times. The princess pledged to devote her life to serving the entire British Commonwealth in her speech. As others have quoted this afternoon: “My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” Imagine the weight of such a commitment. Imagine what the world would be if we all chose to serve with such strength and loyalty.

Thankfully the Queen’s life was long—although many of us felt she would never leave us, that somehow she would essentially transcend time. The Queen guided her family, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth through extraordinary social turbulence with her quiet, restrained and stoic demeanour. Despite the challenges, Queen Elizabeth constantly adapted, and it was how she ensured security for the future of the monarchy. That simple and sober message, that wave of her hand, made us all feel at ease and at home.

As we watched our Queen perform her duties, especially in difficult times, she was the picture of unflappable poise. Watching and listening to our Queen was akin to putting on that favourite sweater on a brisk fall day or hunkering down with a hot cup of cocoa and a thick blanket on a cold winter’s night. It was that same stoic way that could provide comfort to her country and to all of us.

I suppose that comfort came by way of tradition. Tradition, for many of us, means security and belonging. While life moves on and the events of the time change our social fabric, tradition keeps us connected to the past. Her Majesty flawlessly demonstrated how we could move forward, but never lose sight of our identity, our values and our shared memories.

I will miss this comfort, especially that offered through her annual Christmas message. Last Christmas, against the backdrop of another year of the pandemic, she spoke about loss and final partings as she paid tribute to her beloved Philip. It was personal.

In her 1999 message, Queen Elizabeth reflected on the swiftness of change as we approached the new millennium. Seventy-three at the time, she expressed how those her age feared being left behind, and the familiar and the comforting being swept away. In the end, she urged them not to be anxious and to find a way to make sense of the future. Then she quoted the first Prime Minister she had installed, Winston Churchill, who had said, “The further backward you look, the further forward you see.” That message is so relevant today as we look to live without her.

A wordsmith, Her Majesty has left her wisdom behind, a map of sorts on how we continue to find our way. On leadership, the Queen said, “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.”

While we all come to grips with the passing of a lady who impacted our lives in ways we did not realize, in ways that will become apparent in the days ahead, Britain is preparing to usher in a new era in the nation’s fascinating history. Britain, Canada and the rest of the Commonwealth will undoubtedly embrace the King and offer him loyalty and devotion, exactly as Her Majesty would have wished.

I extend my sincere sympathies, thoughts and prayers to the royal family. Our noble Queen will forever be entrenched in our memories and our hearts. God save our King.

Applause.