44th Parl. 1st Sess.

September 15, 2022 10:00AM

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

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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