44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 15, 2022 10:00AM
- Sep/15/22 10:08:24 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, before I begin I would like once again to congratulate the member for Carleton on his new role as leader of the official opposition. We all have a lot of work ahead of us, and we will work for a better Canada.
Last week, Canada lost the only sovereign that most of us have ever known. It is important to take these occasions, here in Parliament and across the country, to recognize the service and leadership she provided us.
When someone lives until 96, this should not come as a surprise, and yet her sudden absence has struck us all palpably and profoundly. Her Majesty was everywhere: on coins, in her portraits hanging in Parliament and post offices, and in her televised Christmas address, a cozy ritual in homes from coast to coast to coast. The Queen meant so much to so many of us, and she exuded a humility and compassion that provided comfort to all.
I was extraordinarily fortunate to have known Her Majesty throughout my life. The first time I met her was in 1977 when I was just a little boy. When I would meet with her as Prime Minister almost four decades later in 2015, I joked that the last time we met she had been taller than me. She responded with a quip about my making her feel old. Her sense of humour was one of her many great qualities and one of the many reasons why she was one of my favourite people in the world.
She embraced her role as Queen of Canada, our Queen, our head of state. Her conversations with me were always candid. We talked about anything and everything. She gave her best advice on a range of issues. She was always curious, engaged and thoughtful. Canadians can be forever grateful for her counsel.
In a way, everybody knew her. Canadians feel like they have lost a family member, a family member who grew up alongside us. She was only nine years old when she carried out what was perhaps her first official duty for Canada, appearing on a postage stamp. That was in 1935. Her Majesty was with us for important birthdays, like in 1967 when she cut Canada's centennial cake on Parliament Hill. Our country came of age under her reign. It was Her Majesty who proclaimed and signed the Constitution Act of 1982 and our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. These pillars of our democracy help uphold the stability of our country and keep us free.
Her Majesty felt at home in Canada. She visited Canada more often than any other country. A few years ago she said, “whether watching a chuck wagon race at the Calgary Stampede or athletic prowess at the Montreal Olympics, whether listening to an Inuit song of greeting in Nunavut or the skirl of pipes in Nova Scotia, I have always felt not only welcome but at home in Canada.”
The Queen had a deep appreciation for our culture. In 1964, she said that she was pleased to know that there was a place in our Commonwealth where she was expected to speak officially in French. She liked the language very much and spoke it impeccably.
Many words have been used to describe the qualities that mark the legacy of Her Majesty, words like duty, service, devotion and stability. Each of these words marks a slightly different aspect of what she gave to us.
When we think of duty, we reflect on how the Queen embodied the Crown above all else, how her final public act was a constitutional one as she invited the United Kingdom's new Prime Minister to form government and how her last public statement was one offering condolences to survivors and the loved ones of the victims in Saskatchewan.
When we think of service, we remember how, in 1945 as Princess Elizabeth, she donned a uniform and joined the Allied efforts, including those of more than a million Canadians, during World War II.
When we think of her devotion, we recall images and stories of Her Majesty as a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Our thoughts are with her devoted family as they mourn her with such grace and love.
Above all, when we think of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we reflect on how she provided us with stability. Her 70-year reign is unprecedented. Last June, we celebrated the Platinum Jubilee of a Canadian sovereign for the first time ever. Canada experienced extraordinary peace and prosperity during her reign.
As Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent said when he addressed this House after the death of King George, her father, in 1952, “We have, in our commonwealth nations, a system of government as free as any on earth”.
Today, the world is in a tough place. We are all reeling from an unprecedented global pandemic. Putin's brutal and unjustifiable war is threatening global stability. Around the globe, democratic institutions are being challenged, but Canadians can rightly be proud of living in one of the strongest democracies in the world. Our institutions are healthy. Our debates are robust, and we have an enviable stability and resilience despite, or perhaps because of, Canadians' vast diversity of beliefs, backgrounds and perspectives.
It is this very strength and stability, represented by the Crown and embodied by the Queen, that Canadians have always benefited from, and we, as parliamentarians and Canadians, dedicate ourselves each and every day to those democratic principles. Each of us sitting here in this House has chosen to serve our communities and our country. We also do so in the knowledge that the challenges of our time in public office are time limited, but for Her Majesty public service was her entire life.
Right up until the very end she had an unflinching enduring commitment to service and to building a better world and a better future. All of us here know that service requires sacrifices; the Queen did so with grace. Her selflessness and dedication is a model to remind us of the weight and the importance of every day we sit in this House and to inspire us as we go forward.
In our constitutional monarchy, the Crown's functions in our government are to be a bedrock for our constitution and to transcend the daily political debates. Our new King, King Charles III, demonstrated his commitment to the larger sweep of history with his most recent tour, which included a focus on the generational work necessary to achieve reconciliation and fight climate change. The stability of our overarching democratic institutions gives Canadians assurance and peace of mind so we can all focus on the issues that matter most, like taking care of people, our economy, our communities and our planet.
Before I conclude, on behalf of all Canadians, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the royal family.
This weekend I am going to London with former prime ministers and governors general to attend Her Majesty's state funeral, which will take place on Monday. On that day, Canada will mark her passing with a national day of mourning and will be holding a commemorative ceremony.
I hope that, next Monday, Canadians from coast to coast to coast will take a moment to reflect on Her Majesty's incomparable legacy and the high ideals she embodied.
Queen Elizabeth served her duties and her peoples up until the end, there for all of us until her final moments. We shall all miss her immensely, but I know, as we all know, that our new sovereign, His Majesty King Charles III, will uphold the very values that we speak to today and continue her legacy.
Long live the King.
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- Sep/15/22 10:30:57 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I want to join with my colleagues in marking the tragic loss of life in Saskatchewan, on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the town of Weldon. The sorrow and pain for the families who lost their loved ones to such unspeakable violence is beyond our understanding. We hold these families close in our hearts.
Today I want to join in marking the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and extend my condolences to her family. At the age of 21 she made the promise that she would spend her whole life, whether it be long or short, fulfilling her duty. For more than 70 years, she kept this promise.
Two days before she died, she met with the incoming British prime minister and invited her to form a government, ensuring that she fulfilled this final constitutional duty.
Queen Elizabeth II led a remarkable life, a life marked by history. Amid tremendous change, she was a figure of stability, providing a constant symbol to many.
Ninety-six years is a long time for anyone to be alive. She was born before mass communication and media shrank the distances between nations, before television, and long before the Internet brought us limitless access to information.
Her life was marked by war. In World War II, as her parents vowed to stay in London while it was bombed, she and her sister were moved to Windsor for safety. As children in war, the Queen and her sister took to the airwaves in a radio broadcast for other children who were also experiencing the worry and fear of bombing attacks and parents gone to fight.
Throughout her life, Queen Elizabeth II used her platform to offer encouragement in difficult times. Most recently, during the pandemic, she reminded us that we would get through the challenge and the pain of not being able to see loved ones. She asked us to greet the tough times with optimism and hope, by pulling together and doing what needed to be done. She said, “We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return. We will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again. We will meet again.”
For many, her death marks the end of an era. She is the only queen we have ever known. She loved Canada very much, and I have heard many stories from people who were very touched by their encounters with Her Majesty.
In the days since her death, I have heard many Canadians talk about meeting her. She came to Canada often, as has been remarked, showing her affection for this country. Many who met the Queen, sometimes for the briefest of moments, feel that she took the time to listen to them and was interested in their lives and sincere in her appreciation for the chance to meet them. This was her gift: to make one feel seen in a crowd of thousands and to invest her whole attention in every encounter, even when it was one of many.
I would also like to take a moment to congratulate King Charles III on assuming his mother's legacy. He is grieving this profound loss as the world watches, while also ensuring that he lives up to the task. I hope he will rise to the challenge of reconciliation that has been laid before him by First Nations leaders and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
One of the calls to action is for the issuing of a royal proclamation of reconciliation. I hope that when the Prime Minister has his first meeting with the new King, he will remind him of this outstanding call to action and the power that King Charles has to further the goal of reconciliation.
There is also much work to be done to repair the relationship of the Crown with many people around the world who experienced pain as a result of colonialization. Loss of language and culture, violence and war are the legacies of a colonial past. I believe the new King has an opportunity and a responsibility to do what he can to right the wrongs of the past.
In closing, I want to again extend my deep condolences to the family of Queen Elizabeth II. More than a monarch, she was a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. It is for her family that we must feel the deepest sympathy. They have lost a pillar of strength, a reminder of their own history and an example of a life well lived.
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- Sep/15/22 10:38:32 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with our parliamentary leader unable to attend this morning, it is my honour to rise on behalf of the Green caucus to mark the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
Before I begin, I, too, want to acknowledge the tragic loss of life in James Smith Cree Nation and let that entire community know that we are thinking of them.
With her reign of over 70 years, the longest of any British monarch, Her Majesty was a true example of living a life of service. I would like to express our condolences to her family and all of those who loved her.
Reflections on the life of the late sovereign tend to centre on the word “duty”. It was the decision of her late uncle to reject the call of duty and follow the call of love that led her father, King George VI, to the throne. It was his untimely death in 1952 that threw a young woman, a newlywed at that, into a life of service and duty. The personal cost to her and her family can never be fully known, no matter how many Hollywood treatments her life inspires.
As a constitutional monarchy, our system of government acknowledges Her Majesty the Queen as our head of state. That close connection binds all members of the Commonwealth. Of course, there are many political questions that remain to be discussed. Today is not that day. Today, we honour and mourn a remarkable woman who loved this country and its citizens, the late Queen Elizabeth II, who set a standard that is unparalleled.
My seatmate and colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands had wished to be here this morning and I know she has cherished various encounters with the royal family. Although she did not meet with the Queen, the Queen's husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, and his son, now the King, were very active in the conservation of nature and environmental causes. Her Majesty shared those concerns.
What endeared her to so many of us were her playful encounters. The Prime Minister just referenced her quips that he made her feel old, as in 2015 at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta, when she poked fun at him for publicly making her feel ancient.
Personally, I think it is fabulous that Noel Coward so loved the Queen and the Queen Mother for their mischievous senses of humour.
As we reflect on the Queen's life and the road ahead, let us hold the duty of reconciliation with indigenous people across the country.
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- Sep/15/22 10:41:26 a.m.
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I invite all hon. members to stand to observe a moment of silence in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
[A moment of silence observed]
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- Sep/15/22 10:43:22 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I believe, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion to be adopted on division. I move:
That a humble address be presented to His Majesty the King in the following words:
TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY:
MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN:
We, Your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Canada, in Parliament assembled, respectfully desire to express our deep sympathy to Your Majesty for the great loss you have sustained by the death of your beloved mother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
We mourn with you, with members of the Royal family and with the people of all of your realms, the loss of our Queen, whose selfless dedication to duty earned our respect and admiration. For more than seven decades, Her Majesty The Queen demonstrated her commitment to the people of Canada, who in return offered their great affection and loyalty.
In this time of sorrow, we welcome Your Majesty's accession to the throne and convey a sincere expression of our loyalty and our devotion.
We, the Commons of Canada, will do our utmost to uphold and support Your Majesty as you undertake your heavy responsibilities.
That the said Address be engrossed; and
That a message be sent to the Senate informing their Honours that this House has passed the said Address and requesting their Honours to unite with this House therein by filling up the blanks with the words “the Senate and”.
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- Sep/15/22 10:53:53 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for generations of Canadians, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a constant in a world filled with change. Even when she was 96 years of age, many of us felt like she would always be there. After all, she had been a part of so much of our history. She was our Queen, so it feels almost unreal to declare “God save the King”.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited Canada more often than any other country on earth. I remember with great clarity Her Majesty's visit to Stratford in 1997 to view a scene from The Taming of the Shrew at the Stratford Festival. I remember watching her helicopter land in the aptly named Lower Queen's Park. I then ran to Upper Queen's Park and stood on a lawn chair six or seven rows back to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty during her walkabout. Many in our community also remember her previous visit to Stratford, in 1959, with Prince Philip for a performance of Shakespeare's As You Like It.
When our country celebrated great milestones, she was here. She was her for the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, Expo 67, the Montreal Olympics, the patriation of the Constitution, the centennials of the entry into Confederation of British Columbia and, 34 years later, for that of Alberta and Saskatchewan. In 1964, she was here for the 100th anniversary of the Charlottetown and Quebec conferences.
In an address at the opening of the Confederation Centre, Her Majesty The Queen reflected on her beloved Canada. She said:
We know the splendor of her achievements in peace and in the dark years of war, the esteem in which she is held in the great councils of the world, the contributions to the enrichment of the Commonwealth, the generosity and sense of responsibility toward the newly developing countries, and willingness to assume the gravest of international responsibilities—all these and much else have grown out of this great act of political statesmanship and have made Canada what she is today.
We, as members of the House of Commons, represent one of two houses of Parliament, but we also represent one of three parts of Parliament: the House of Commons, the Senate and the Crown. Indeed, the first time these three parts of Parliament formally convened was in 1957 for the opening of the 23rd Parliament. In the Speech from the Throne, the first to be delivered by the monarch, the Queen stated:
I greet you as your Queen. Together we constitute the Parliament of Canada. For the first time the representatives of the people of Canada and their Sovereign are here assembled on the occasion of the opening of Parliament. This is for all of us a moment to remember.
Parliamentary government has been fashioned by the wisdom of many centuries. Its justice, authority and dignity are cherished by men of good will.
I share that quotation from 1957 because it reflects the sincerity with which Her Majesty conducted her constitutional obligations.
In Walter Bagehot's The English Constitution, he ably divides the institutions of government into two parts: the dignified and the efficient. The dignified parts are “those which excite and preserve the reverence of the population” and the efficient parts are “those by which it, in fact, works and rules.” The dignified parts are the Crown. The efficient parts are the government.
Now I am sure there have been times over the decades that Her Majesty may have wondered how efficient some of her ministers may have been, but as the ever-dignified sovereign, she respected her constitutional role.
While she was always dignified, it did not stop her from surprising us, as she did with her famous entry to the London Olympics with 007, and with her ever-so-poignant tea with Paddington Bear during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this year.
Seventy-five years ago, on her 21st birthday, Princess Elizabeth pledged that her whole life would be devoted to service. To her final days, she fulfilled that pledge of service. To paraphrase Shakespeare, we shall not look upon her like again.
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- Sep/15/22 11:00:03 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise with a very heavy heart and much sadness to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who committed and dedicated her life to selfless duty and service. I also hold in my thoughts King Charles III, the Queen Consort and the royal family, who are not only grieving the loss of their Queen, but also their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
There will be many opportunities in the times to come to more fully reflect on the Queen's extraordinary life and service, but today I would like to speak very personally about how Her Majesty impacted one family far across the Atlantic.
In 1939, there was a young Ukrainian Canadian mother. She was a widow at 22 with two children under five. She was heartbroken and struggling. Her family were farmers in Alliston, Ontario, and there was very little money. That woman was my grandmother. Throughout her life, she talked about how a young princess had inspired her and kept her going through the darkest time of her life.
My Nanny admired that the young princess had urged her father to allow her to serve her country during World War II. She had volunteered in the women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, the women's branch of the British Army, where she became a driver and trained in auto mechanics. She understood what it meant to put on a uniform and serve. It was a pioneering move. The sight of a woman taking apart engines and changing tires also signalled a sea change in gender roles in society that would continue throughout the future Queen's lifetime.
My grandmother was inspired by the then princess and followed her lead. She found work. When Dominion Small Arms Limited munitions factory started in Mississauga, my grandmother found work to do her part for the war effort, inspired by the young princess. While these two women came from different worlds and had very different lives, my grandmother felt a connection with the princess and later Her Majesty, a princess who saw young people her age who went to war, who fought and who gave their lives. She wanted to serve the war effort against her father's wishes.
This was at a time when young men in Toronto from regiments like the Queen's Own Rifles, the 48th Highlanders and the Toronto Scottish were leaving their homes for service overseas. Families were regularly receiving bad news from the front. Princess Elizabeth understood that families were making terrible sacrifices for the war effort and for freedom. It should be remembered that today she was the only head of state that had served in the Second World War. This was a princess who did not mind getting her hands dirty maintaining different types of heavy-armoured vehicles, who operated in a man's world and who did it cheerfully, a princess who comforted the children of the nation when they were evacuated from the bombing.
Later on, my grandmother took every opportunity to stand in the crowds whenever Queen Elizabeth came. She wanted to show her support for a leader who dedicated her whole life to service and who had an impossible job. She hoped that maybe, just maybe, she might have the opportunity to say “thank you”. While she never got that chance to express her gratitude, those who did meet her were made to feel they mattered.
When we were children, our Etobicoke neighbourhood moms got together, packed us up in cars and drove us downtown so that we could get a glimpse of the royal couple and remember that moment all our lives. In grade 7, I chose to do a speech on her.
Among a sea of men in business, Parliament, radio and television, and the running of the world she stood out, as did her compassion, grace and warmth. She showed generations of women and men that women could be leaders and that they are.
In a world of continuous change, from the devastation of the Second World War to COVID-19, Her Majesty was a constant, an example, a stateswoman. Across generations so many felt that personal connection. The women at the Legion talked about watching her coronation. The women at the church looked forward to her annual Christmas message. I heard from young women how they enjoyed watching her Platinum Jubilee celebrations on their phones. I heard how people felt personally connected to her. She was also known for how she could bring people and countries together. She fostered enduring bonds among the Commonwealth of Nations.
Today is our opportunity to express our gratitude for the life and service of Queen Elizabeth II. She did not choose her life, but inherited a life of duty. At the young age of 25, she pledged her life to the service of others. Everyone in this chamber knows what it is like to serve, but all of us had a choice. She fulfilled her promise with unwavering dignity, grace and faithfulness for 70 years.
I humbly thank Her Majesty and thank her on behalf of my grandmother for the extraordinary life of a Queen who served for seven decades, who worked right up until her final moments at age 96, a woman who will remain in the hearts of many.
Today my thoughts and prayers are with the people across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. I send my deepest condolences to the royal family.
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- Sep/15/22 11:07:14 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I rise today, I feel sadness at the passing of a great historical figure, but I take solace in a pleasant personal memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I would like to quickly share my story.
In 2002, during Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee, celebrating 50 years on the throne, I went to London as a tourist. I went to Buckingham Palace in August, when it is open to tourists. My wife and I were touring Buckingham Palace when, for some unknown reason, I turned to her and said, “I think I will come back here someday.”
Four years later, I was the commanding officer of the Régiment de la Chaudière, a Canadian Armed Forces unit whose colonel-in-chief was Queen Elizabeth II, as she was for 13 other regiments in Canada, including the famous Royal 22nd Regiment.
I was surprised to learn that, as commanding officer of the Régiment de la Chaudière, I had direct access to my colonel-in-chief. I requested an audience with Her Majesty to present her with a copy of Le Régiment de la Chaudière, which had recently been reprinted. It was a special edition printed specifically for Her Majesty. Imagine my surprise when my request was promptly accepted. The Queen's office told me that Her Majesty would receive me on May 5, 2006.
The problem was that my daughter was turning one year old on May 5, 2006. I summoned the courage to ask Her Majesty's secretary whether the meeting could be rescheduled and, again, I was surprised to hear back that they understood and that there was no problem rescheduling. The audience was postponed by two weeks. I thought it was rather cheeky of me. The Queen had granted me an audience and there I was, saying I was unavailable and asking Her Majesty to reschedule.
I was thrilled that they were so respectful and agreed to reschedule the audience.
In May 2006, I was received at Buckingham Palace, together with my honorary colonels, Marcel Belleau and Laurence Létourneau; the museum's director at the time, my friend Richard Martin; my regimental sergeant major, Claude Pineault; and our wives.
Here is another funny part of my trip to see Her Majesty. When I arrived at London Heathrow, the customs officer asked me what I was doing in England. I said that I was coming to meet with the Queen. The customs officer looked at me and asked me the real reason. Again, I said that I was coming to meet with the Queen. It made me so happy to say, “I am officially here to meet with the Queen.”
Obviously, it is very rare for tourists to enter Buckingham Palace. Usually, the gates are locked up tight and people stand out front, hoping to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty. My group and I were lucky enough to make our way through the gate and straight to the palace, to be welcomed, to be received in a hall, in front of the Queen's office.
It was obviously stressful. Meetings with the Queen at Buckingham Palace are quite rare. It is difficult to explain the feeling that comes over you when the office door opens and you see the small figure of Her Majesty waiting. It is a combination of anxiety and joy.
There are obviously protocols. When entering the office, women curtsy. The Queen must be greeted. Earlier, the Prime Minister mentioned in his speech that the Queen had a wonderful sense of humour. When Her Majesty saw that everyone was rather uncomfortable and did not know what to do, she made a joke to put everyone at ease. She said, “You know, the gentleman who was here with me before you was the general in command of my royal guard, but he is limping because he fell off his horse.” She spoke excellent French. When the Queen made that joke about the general in charge of her royal guard, the tension broke and we burst out laughing. That set the stage for our meeting, which ended up being fantastic.
The purpose of the meeting was obviously to discuss my regiment, the Régiment de la Chaudière. I mentioned to her that she had last met with her regiment in the 1950s.
She replied, quite simply, that it was about time. Her Majesty's brief response was charming. During our meeting, we presented her with the book about the regiment's history and told her about her regiment and how it was doing. It was all done without fanfare, but it was highly significant for me and my companions, my honorary colonels and our wives. One never forgets an audience like that at Buckingham Palace. The Queen had an unpretentious way of making everyone feel welcome and at ease.
To me, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II always represented the stability of our institutions. No matter the party in power in England, Canada or any other Commonwealth country during her 70-year reign, the Queen was a constant, gracious presence. Parliaments are no strangers to partisanship, but, to me, the Queen was above it all. That is what made the greatest impression on me throughout Elizabeth II's reign.
What is more, as a member of the military, I had the honour of swearing allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen. I did so first as a soldier and then as an officer. I also did so three times as an MP. I swore allegiance to a woman for whom I had an enormous amount of respect. Whether one believes in the monarchy or not, when it came to Elizabeth II, what mattered to me was the person. As I mentioned, the important thing is what she represented and her optimistic spirit that gave heart to the Commonwealth.
In closing, I am honoured to have had the opportunity to share my personal story with the House. Obviously, I am saddened by Her Majesty's death, but it was not unexpected, life being what it is.
Now we have a new king, Charles III. Long may he reign. Long live King Charles III.
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- Sep/15/22 11:20:19 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for seven decades, the Queen was our head of state and performed her duties admirably with great care. To many she was the Queen, but to us she was our Queen.
An accomplished historian, Joe Martin, said to me just the other day, “Her reign was unprecedented and a sterling example of duty and responsibility.” Indeed, at just 21 years old, in Cape Town she took a vow: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service”. The Queen never laid down the heavy weight of the Crown.
Her Majesty loved this country, visiting us over 20 times, including Simcoe North in both Midland and Orillia. As a young boy, my father went to see her board a train in Midland in 1959. Years later, in 2010, I went to see her as she got into a car leaving Queen's Park. She elicited a sense of patriotism among many of us and I remember feeling it that day.
It always seemed to me that Her Majesty would always be there. In some ways she always will be, but many will miss her calm and poised demeanour, which has provided comfort and stability to so many over numerous difficult periods over these last 70 years.
Our system of government may not be perfect, but the Queen performed her role with dignity and grace to ensure the integrity of our system. There was a human behind the Crown who could enjoy a good laugh like the rest of us. There is a family that mourns the loss of a mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother. Many of us who feel connected to Her Majesty also feel a sense of grief.
On behalf of those in Simcoe North who share in the grief of the loss of Her Majesty, we express our most sincere condolences to the royal family. May we take from Her Majesty's life example of service and apply it in our own lives.
May God bless the Queen. Long live the King.
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- Sep/15/22 11:22:49 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the residents of Vaughan—Woodbridge to express our community's most heartfelt condolences on the passing of Canada’s longest-reigning sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. My prayers are for her, as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is called upon by the Lord to enter the next world.
As the Archbishop of Canterbury commented in the days after the Queen's passing, “I came away thinking there is someone who has no fear of death, has hope in the future, knows the rock on which she stands and that gives her strength”. He went on further to comment that the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s attitude was that “it's not about me, it's about what I have been called...by God to do”.
On a personal level, I do wish to share our family’s story. In May of 1971, the Queen visited the north coast of British Columbia and our family’s hometown of Prince Rupert. Prince Rupert is where, in the early 1950s, a family of seven children, headed by parents Frank and Rose, immigrated from southern Italy.
During the Queen’s visit in Prince Rupert she would mark and attend the official opening of the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital, the hospital at which I would be born less than a year later. At this opening, Rose Amante, my grandmother, would have the privilege to greet the Queen and present flowers to the Queen. A picture of this encounter would then reside in prominence in my grandparents', my nonni's, home for decades to come, with its story told many times. It was a very proud moment for the entire family, and one that is forever etched in my memory as the grandson of a proud, strong and, I would say, fierce woman, whose grandson now sits in the Parliament of Canada as one of its 338 representatives.
Her Majesty vowed to devote her life to the service of the Commonwealth and its people. On her 21st birthday, Her Majesty committed that “[her] 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.” It is a vow she kept with incomparable devotion.
As our Prime Minister stated, Her Majesty was a constant presence in the lives of Canadians. We thank Queen Elizabeth II for her lifetime of service, her humility and her extraordinary leadership. Over her 70-year reign, the late sovereign visited Canada more than 20 times including, yes, again, Prince Rupert, British Columbia. From sweeping royal tours to visits for special milestones and events, Canadians will never forget her sincere words in 2010 when Her Majesty shared with us that Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, once said that “this country felt like a home away from home for the Queen of Canada.” Queen Elizabeth II then said, “I’m delighted to report that it still does, and I’m delighted to be back amongst you all.”
The first time the Queen set foot on Canadian soil was when she was only 25 years old and still a princess in 1951, joined by her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. In 2010, we celebrated Canada Day with Her Majesty under the theme of “Our Year to Shine: Canada Welcomes the World”. We marked our achievements as a nation and our hopes for the future. In her address to our nation, Queen Elizabeth II expressed her and Prince Philip’s joy to be among Canadians on a special date.
Her Majesty then followed by stating:
During my lifetime, I have been a witness to this country for more than half its history since Confederation. I have watched with enormous admiration how Canada has grown and matured while remaining true to its history, its distinctive character and its values.
This nation has dedicated itself to being a caring home for its own, a sanctuary for others and an example to the world.
We have just seen images of the work in which Canadian forces, diplomats and aid workers are engaged across the world in defending and serving the needs of others.
These commitments, often in dangerous and hostile circumstances, are undertaken with the support and respect of us all.
If we were to fast-forward, at 93 years of age Queen Elizabeth made a rare broadcast in 2020 to rally everyone in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic. Her words resonated in the U.K., the Commonwealth and worldwide. Her Majesty began by saying, “I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time. A time of disruption in the life of our country: a disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all.”
The Queen followed later on by recognizing:
Across the Commonwealth and around the world, we have seen heart-warming stories of people coming together to help others, be it through delivering food parcels and medicines, checking on neighbours, or converting businesses to help the relief effort.
And though self-isolating may at times be hard, many people of all faiths, and of none, are discovering that it presents an opportunity to slow down, pause and reflect, in prayer or meditation.
It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made, in 1940, helped by my sister. We, as children, spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety. Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones. But now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do. While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed—and that success will belong to every one of us.
Her Majesty the Queen never doubted the strength of Canadians and always encouraged us to “remain optimistic”, knowing that Canadians “will rise to the challenges ahead.”
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- Sep/15/22 11:29:45 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it was with heavy hearts that I and many of my constituents in Etobicoke Centre learned of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
As Canada's longest-serving sovereign, I believe she touched many Canadians. Her legacy is profound. For many Canadians, including me, Queen Elizabeth II is the only sovereign we have ever known. In an ever-changing world, she was a constant presence and devoted her life to the service of the Commonwealth and its people.
Her Majesty was only 25 years old when she ascended to the throne and took on the role of head of state of numerous countries, including Canada. She fulfilled this role with grace and dedication for 70 years. Earlier this year, Canada celebrated the Queen's 70 years of service and the enduring bonds she built with Canadians. This was the first Platinum Jubilee of a sovereign in Canada.
The significance of Her Majesty's reign was not just in the length of her service but in the importance of her service, in the role that she played in Canada's history. Her Majesty presided over many important moments in Canadian history, and she forms an important part, in my view, of Canadian history.
Since becoming Queen in 1952, Her Majesty has known 12 Canadian prime ministers and 13 governors general. Her Majesty made 22 tours to Canada as Queen. Queen Elizabeth II also participated in the patriation ceremony of the Constitution and proclaimed Canada's Constitution Act, which included the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in 1982. She watched, she presided, as Canada became an even more confident, more multicultural and more prosperous nation.
There are many reasons I believe we live in the best country on Earth. One of the reasons is our strong democracy and the conventions and the institutions that underpin it, that protect it and that facilitate it. That democratic system makes Parliament supreme in making decisions on behalf of Canadians and for Canadians. It allows us to come together here in the House of Commons as representatives of the people to make decisions on behalf of the people, for the people.
To me, the role of the monarch in our country is not just ceremonial but substantive. One of the key roles of the Crown, of the monarch, is to protect that democracy, to facilitate that democracy. The Queen embodied the Crown and took on that role. Because of the importance of that role, because of the work that she did in protecting our democracy, it is important that we recognize how this has allowed those of us who have served here in the past, those of us who serve here today and future members of Parliament to continue to build the best country on Earth.
Many years ago I had the privilege of being present during a visit of Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh to Toronto. During my brief conversation with the Duke of Edinburgh, I came to appreciate the commitment of the Queen and of the Duke of Edinburgh in learning about Canadians. I believe this is one of the characteristics that made Her Majesty so invested and so effective in serving and representing our country.
One of the reasons I believe many of our hearts were so heavy when we learned of the passing of Her Majesty was that a lot of us felt as though we knew the Queen. I believe that she knew us.
Her Majesty touched millions of Canadians in a variety of ways. I believe that her service and her dedicated and graceful leadership will continue to be remembered and admired by people worldwide for many years to come.
On behalf of the constituents of Etobicoke Centre and myself, I send our heartfelt condolences to the members of the royal family, to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth nations during this difficult time.
On behalf of the constituents of Etobicoke Centre and myself, I would also like to extend our best wishes to our new king, King Charles III. I had the privilege of meeting King Charles III when he was Prince of Wales when he visited Canada a few months ago. He exhibited that same curiosity, that same desire, I believe, to understand and know Canadians and to serve Canadians as Queen Elizabeth II did.
Long live the King.
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- Sep/15/22 11:43:38 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is a solemn day. For the first time in the lives of many of us here today, we mourn the death and commemorate the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Being our head of state for the past 70 years is an extraordinary feat, something only Her Majesty could have achieved.
As we heard all last week and in Parliament today, Her Majesty's passion, resilience and strength in serving her country and her people were fundamental characteristics that shaped her reign.
When I think of Queen Elizabeth ascending the throne at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI, I cannot help but be in awe. At 25, I had just graduated from university with a social work degree, commenced a new job at the Children's Aid Society and had a beautiful, full-of-energy two-year-old daughter. At such a pivotal age, when many of us were finishing university, starting our careers, beginning our families or making our way through the world learning from adventures and failures, Her Majesty was propelled to the highest institution of governance: the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the head of the Commonwealth and the Defender of the Faith.
Queen Elizabeth's reign was shaped by some of history's most notable events. These include her early years as a princess serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the Second World War, having Sir Winston Churchill as her first prime minister, the acceleration of decolonization, the Cold War and the fall of the Iron Curtain, the deadly conflict in Ireland known as “the Troubles”, the war on terror, Brexit, and COVID-19. Despite these events emerging from British, European or global affairs, Her Majesty used her position and powers to bridge and merge people of different linguistic, cultural and political backgrounds to facilitate co-operation and collaboration toward unity, showcasing what a constitutional monarch should be.
Queen Elizabeth II's reign also covered some significant events here in Canada. She proclaimed the Canadian flag in 1965. She addressed the National Assembly of Quebec during Quebec's quiet revolution, noting how pleased she was that there was a place in the Commonwealth where people could speak in French. She opened the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976, and, of course, she signed the proclamation of the Constitution Act, 1982, which created the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982.
The admiration that Queen Elizabeth II had for Canada is undeniable. During her time on the throne, the Queen made 22 state visits to Canada, making Canada her most-visited Commonwealth country. During those visits to Canada, Her Majesty toured the country, sponsored charitable works, attended ceremonies, opened Parliament in 1957 and delivered a Speech from the Throne in 1977.
Her Majesty's first state visit as Queen was in 1957, when she and her late husband spent four days here in Ottawa. However, that was not Elizabeth's first trip to Canada. As some of my colleagues have mentioned, Princess Elizabeth, as she was then known, visited Canada in 1951 on behalf of her father, who, unfortunately, was being treated for lung cancer.
I will share some aspects of that trip. Her Majesty shooks hands at the rate of 30,000 times per week, heard the national anthem played 150 times, met 53 mayors, inspected 24 guards of honour, accepted official bouquets from 23 children and signed 21 golden books. Let me remind everyone that this all occurred in 33 days.
Queen Elizabeth's royal tour of Canada in 1951 was an instrumental occurrence that influenced her reign as Queen in the years to come. Her Majesty's examples of attending the Calgary Stampede and square dancing at Rideau Hall, which, I should add, made its way onto popular Christmas cards, illustrate a modern monarchy willing to connect with younger people and reflect the civil and societal changes of the times. We should have known then that she was destined to be a queen for the modern age.
On behalf of our community of Orléans, which I have the privilege to represent, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the royal family, who lost a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother, as well as to the extended family and to the people of the United Kingdom.
As we continue to commemorate the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, we also usher in the reign of His Majesty King Charles III. I am confident that His Majesty will carry on with his vow to follow his mother's inspirational example of public service, illustrating the Crown's dedication, resilience and strength in upholding the principle of constitutional government and the values that we, as a Commonwealth nation, share and relish.
God save the King.
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- Sep/15/22 11:50:12 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am honoured, saddened and humbled to stand in this House to pay tribute to our monarch and sovereign Queen Elizabeth II in front of her representatives of the Commonwealth nation of Canada. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly, as it is nearly impossible to adequately convey the importance of a life that has helped shape our nation for nearly half its existence.
I would like to begin by quoting Her Majesty herself, not from a period during her reign, but from the speech the young princess delivered in Cape Town, South Africa, on her 21st birthday in 1947. She 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.
But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.
Her declaration that her whole life would be devoted to service, regardless of its length, would follow her as she became the longest-serving British monarch and the second longest-serving monarch in history.
Another important quote was while touring Canada for her golden jubilee in 2002 when she said:
I treasure my place in the life of Canada, and my bond with Canadians everywhere.... It is my privilege to serve you as Queen of Canada to the best of my ability, to play my part in the Canadian identity, to uphold Canadian traditions and heritage, to recognize Canadian excellence and achievement and to seek to give a sense of continuity in these exciting, ever-changing times in which we are fortunate enough to live.
She loved this nation, its people, its traditions and its identity, as she visited Canada 22 times over the course of her 70 years as sovereign. With that in mind, I spent a significant amount of time considering the best way to pay tribute to a person who, for all accounts, will be written about for decades, if not centuries, in history books. Those stories will be told, but what may not be told to the extent that is necessary is the impact she had on people throughout the nation.
She always expressed such a joy in the Canadian identity, and I want to take some time to highlight thoughts and memories of the bonds Canadians shared with her. However, before I get to that, I want to give a nod to one of my constituents, Luc Morrissette of Alpine Flowers & Gifts in Elliot Lake, who has a memorial guest book on display, which will be forwarded to the palace to commemorate the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
I would like to begin the memories and thoughts shared with that of Douglas Elliott's Facebook post. He wrote, “The death of Queen Elizabeth II marks the end of an era for Canada, and in many ways, for our world.
“She was the last world leader who was a veteran of World War II. Like most Canadians, I cannot remember a time before she became our Queen.
“I never had the pleasure of meeting Her Majesty, who was renowned for her dry wit and personal charm. However, I did see her in person twice.
“The first time was in July of 1959, when I was not quite 3 years old. The Queen came to Canada to open the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the new Royal Yacht Britannia toured the Great Lakes. One of the stops was in Parry Sound, and my mother took me to see Her Majesty. I am told that when my mother pointed out that the pretty young woman waving to the crowd was the Queen, I proudly responded ‘I know!’
“I don't really remember that sighting, but I do remember the second. It was in 1984 at Queen's Park. Coincidentally, the Toronto Star's published image of the walkabout captured myself and my Great Aunt Grace beaming at our Queen with joy. I was struck first by how tiny she was, with an erect military posture, a good figure and an impeccable complexion. Not a hair was out of place. She was like a perfect little porcelain doll, and beautifully dressed.
“I will remember Her Majesty best for her role in presiding over the patriation of our Constitution and the creation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982. The Queen had a good sense of humour and she was known to take delight when things went slightly awry on official occasions. Jean Chrétien (who was the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs at the time) acknowledged that Her Majesty spoke excellent French, and she often conversed with him in French. I personally confirmed this royal story with him.”
Douglas' post was accompanied by a photo, and he explained, “The photo was taken on that blustery day on Parliament Hill in April of 1982 at the official signing ceremony for the new Constitution. Chrétien looks grim, while the Queen is grinning. Apparently, his pen malfunctioned, and as he reached for another he muttered ‘merde!’ The Queen heard him and chuckled.”
Douglas then writes, “Rest in peace, good and loyal servant, and may flights of angels sing you to your rest.”
Douglas received the following responses.
Ralph Carl Wushke wrote, “I must be a more loyal subject as I saw her at least six times, including when she stepped out on the caboose of the Royal Train in Broadview, Saskatchewan to greet the Chiefs of three First Nations: Cowessess, Ochapowace, Kahkewistahaw, all in Treaty 2 territory and the farmer settler families. I was 5 and it's the most vivid pre-school memory I have to this day. She was wearing powder blue. It was high summer.”
Shelley Heinrich wrote, “In 2010, she came to Waterloo. My husband was part of her security detail. I was on a day off and as he was doing the escort. He let me know when they would be passing by our little town on the highway that cuts thru. My husband sent me a single text which read: ‘The Eagle has left the Nest’. His way of letting me know when to get Hailey to the intersection where we saw her. Neither one of us wanted to compromise her safety on her route.
“We were both very fortunate to have been a part of her visit. I walked Hailey down. She was 2 at the time. Hailey waved like crazy at the Queen and the Duke as they drove by. Both waved at her and the Queen waved at Hailey exactly how Hailey waved at her. Open hand, fingers out and a little twist at the wrist with that broad smile. The Duke raised his hand and with a smile gave a little wave. We were the only two standing there. They didn't have to, but they did. Hailey just shrieked with delight!”
Debra Pain Mallon wrote, “My uncle was the Reeve of Muskoka and my cousin had the honour of presenting flowers to the Queen. Such a gracious lady. She is with Philip now. She will be deeply missed.”
Janet Babcock wrote, “My then spouse and I were invited guests to the signing of the Constitution as he was an assistant to a Cabinet Minister. It was not only blustery but near the end of the signing it began to rain heavily. We were sitting behind Andy Haydon, then Regional Chair of the Region of Ottawa Carleton. He was bald and the rain poured off his head onto my rather stylish clothes and hat as we were all trying to imitate Princess Diana. We got a signed copy of the program with signatures from Trudeau, Chrétien and Paul Martin. It is in a box somewhere in my basement. An historic day no doubt!”
The AFN national chief, RoseAnne Archibald issued the following statement on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II:
Like many, Queen Elizabeth II is the only British monarch I have ever known in my lifetime. Throughout her reign, she has been an influential role model for generations of women and will be remembered for normalising and evolving the perception of strong, female leadership. My condolences are with King Charles III and all members of the British royal family as they grieve the loss of their matriarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
I also want to share the thoughts from Kate Matuszewski. She posted, “What a sad day in history we are all sharing in today. My heart is heavy.
“Your Majesty, Ma'am, thank you for your lifelong dedication to duty and service to our Great Britain and the Commonwealth. Throughout your reign you have led by example with strength and dignity. You have lifted us up when times were hard and given us hope; you have walked among us, your subjects, and shown us compassion, loyalty, dedication, grace, intelligence, warmth, humour, and love.
“You have endeared yourself to all of us and been a shining example. For many of us, you have been our only Queen in our lifetimes! Today I mourn your passing and wish you God speed to your beloved Prince Philip, and the peace you richly deserve. God bless you, Ma'am, you have made an indelible mark on the world and in history. What a long and glorious life you have lived. I am so proud to be British and to have been raised in such a great country with its magnificent history, values and traditions. Thank you for your service. Rest in Peace.”
In response, Kimberly MacVoy Arnold wrote, “So deeply saddened by this news. I've long admired Her Royal Majesty. May she rest peacefully and may her family find comfort and strength in the coming days of the long goodbye she most graciously earned and deserves.”
Gladys Wiggins wrote, “I saw her in Kapuskasing, Ontario, as a young child. It was just before her coronation. Back then I knew this was a special event and that she was a special lady. Rest in Peace, Queen Elizabeth.”
Erika MacLellan wrote, “I remember seeing her as a small child when she came to visit my hometown. My mother took me and my playmate, all dressed in our Sunday best, waving our flags as the Queen and Prince Philip drove slowly by, standing in their black open convertible waving and smiling to the crowds. I still can see it and remembering as if it was yesterday. My mom then took us for a treat.”
Reverend Valerie Isaac's Facebook post reads, “Rest well, Your Majesty. You promised to serve for your life, however long or short. It has been an Elizabethan era that has concluded. Our sympathies to King Charles III, and the rest of the Royal Family.”
I hope that by sharing these stories and these insights, we may get a better sense of how Canadians are grieving the loss of their monarch and, by extension, the impact that she has had on the lives of people of this country.
May Her Majesty rest in peace.
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- Sep/15/22 12:41:36 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is always a privilege to rise in this House, but today I and all of our colleagues do so with the heaviest of hearts. At around this moment last Thursday, it “pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second of Blessed and Glorious Memory”, to borrow the words of the first of many accession proclamations made last weekend.
In the week which has intervened, we have witnessed and, indeed, ourselves have felt the shock, grief and reflections that have been felt in every corner of the globe ever since. For me, some of my own reflections have been upon the genuine honour and privilege I have had to have been received in audience by Her Majesty on two occasions. First, as speaker of the House, I was there with my counterpart, Noël Kinsella, speaker of the Senate at the time, to present the addresses which both Houses of our Parliament had voted to present to Her Majesty, on the occasion of the Queen's 2012 Diamond Jubilee and in 2013 following the birth of our future king, the current Prince George.
Since the House has adopted an address to our new King Charles III, the Speaker may find himself having an audience soon with His Majesty to present him with our Parliament's formal condolences. I am reminded of a personal anecdote of such an audience.
Before the Speaker meets the King, he will be presented with a briefing on protocol. We were all told what to do and what not to do. I asked the protocol officer how we would know when the meeting had ended. He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, “Oh, you will know.” Sure enough, at one point in the conversation when it was clear Her Majesty had exchanged enough pleasantries, out came a box with a button on it. She very gently pressed on it and moments later, the equerry came into the room and the meeting was over. I am sure there are many people throughout Canada who wish they had that kind of box when they are having meetings that they would like to get out of.
On both occasions when I had that privilege, I can say that Her Majesty's warmth and interest in Canadian matters remarkably shone through. Those various reports members might hear or read about Queen Elizabeth being incredibly well informed about Canadian and world matters certainly accord with my own personal experiences, yet her love of Canada was not just about being well briefed on the news. Canada was tangibly present in her life. She made 22 official visits as Queen and one as Princess Elizabeth, more here than any other country.
Her longest visit to Canada in 1959 covered 45 days and 24,000 kilometres. On that trip, she performed her official duties with equal parts grace and grit as she fought through morning sickness to complete her gruelling itinerary. Canada was very much her second home. On a royal tour in 1983 which included both the United States and Canada, as she prepared to fly from California to Vancouver, she told the press, “I am going home to Canada tomorrow.”
Some members may be aware that Her Majesty's favourite horse ever was Burmese, the first of the horses gifted by the RCMP, that was foaled in Fort Walsh, Saskatchewan. The Queen rode Burmese at every Trooping of the Colour for 18 consecutive years, from 1969 to 1988, and on many other occasions, like the time she was famously photographed riding with Ronald Reagan. When Burmese retired, the Queen never rode to the Trooping of the Colour again, preferring to travel by carriage. A statue of Queen Elizabeth riding Burmese can be found in Regina, the queen city, a city I proudly represent.
We know that the people of Saskatchewan were in her thoughts right up until the end. Her final public statement a little over a week ago was to the people of Saskatchewan, specifically of the James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon, to tell them that she was grieving with them and mourning their loss. The day before that, we all saw the news and photos of her appointing a new British prime minister, her 15th. That Her Majesty, in her mid-nineties, was working right up until literally her very last days is a testament to her understanding of the responsibilities to which she was called by fate.
When she was 21, she gave a radio address that has been replayed many times in recent days. In it she declared, “my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service”. She was a young woman then, barely out of childhood, thrust by her uncle's unexpected abdication into a lifetime of service. It was an awe-inspiring promise for such a young person to make with such conviction. She knew even at that young age that there would be no relaxing retirement for her, however well-earned it would have been. Her duties would end only in death, as indeed they did.
In her last official photo she is standing beside the fireplace at Balmoral, and she exudes warmth and wisdom, though she must have known the end of her service was only a few days away. She was duty personified to the very last. That devotion to service, which our late Queen typified for the near century she lived and which she witnessed her father demonstrate so remarkably especially during the Second World War, was all the more remarkable since neither of them was meant to be the monarch from birth. It is the same example our new sovereign, King Charles III, witnessed and felt first-hand. I am sure we can have every confidence that His Majesty will follow in their footsteps and the footsteps of their many illustrious predecessors of the past thousand years.
The memories, reflections, tributes and appreciation expressed this past week have vividly recalled for all of us the majesty and magic of our constitutional monarchy, the continuity it provides and the bedrock of stability it forms. Other countries may pledge allegiance to flags, which blow unpredictably with the political winds, but our allegiance is to the Canadian Crown, which connects us in a direct line to the historic source of our Constitution. It is a living tradition of order and liberty that is renewed with each generation.
The other day I was recalling how the role of the Crown in our parliamentary democracy reminded me of the so-called parable of Chesterton's fence. In his 1929 book, The Thing, G.K. Chesterton wrote of a fence that some reform-minded folks would tear down because they did not understand its purpose, while other more cautious types would first seek to understand the original purpose of the fence and whether it was satisfying those needs. Basically, the lesson is do not destroy what we do not understand.
I suspect after this week many more will truly understand the meaningful role of the Canadian monarchy, A Crown of Maples, and that will be yet one more legacy of Her Majesty's remarkable reign. There is no doubt the Crown has helped shape Canada, but we should not view the monarchy or the Crown as some kind of foreign institution. Canada and the Crown are intertwined, and Canada has had an impact on the Crown itself.
Our francophone colleagues from Quebec are familiar with the history of our people here in North America, and they know that certain events had a significant impact on the Crown.
For example, it was the Quebec Act that first gave religious liberties to Catholics, paving the way for religious tolerance throughout the entire British Empire. That innovation that was used here in North America to help bring two peoples together changed the way Catholics, and ultimately religious minorities, were treated throughout the entire globe. We can take credit here in Canada for that legacy, the change that we effected on our system of government, and through it, the entire world and the entire British Empire. It was the Quebec Act that first established the principle that one can be loyal to the sovereign while still practising whatever faith one chooses.
When someone serves so diligently for as long as Queen Elizabeth did, it is tempting to think that they will continue forever. Perhaps that is why, although her death was not unexpected, it still moves us so deeply. We have lost someone who was part of the backdrop of our lives for as long as most of us in this House can remember. Although she is gone, we will be reminded of her for years to come. We will probably encounter her unexpectedly, when we empty coins from our pockets or rummage for stamps at the back of a drawer and we suddenly see that familiar regal profile again. In those moments we will pause and smile as we remember the life of an extraordinary woman and an exemplary Queen.
God bless Queen Elizabeth, and God save the King.
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- Sep/15/22 12:51:00 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in this House. It is particularly so today, given the reason we are here. It is always a pleasure to speak when you are in the chair, I might add.
Last week, when the world learned of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I thought back in history to Winston Churchill, who was the prime minister upon her becoming queen and the prime minister when her late father passed away, King George VI. When the king died, Winston Churchill said that it “struck a deep and solemn note in our lives which, as it resounded far and wide, stilled the clatter and traffic of twentieth-century life in many lands, and made countless millions of human beings pause and look around them.” The same could be said about the passing of his daughter.
As we stop, pause and reflect on her 96 years of life, the world has seen so much change. In her life, she witnessed it all. In those extraordinary 96 years, in many circumstances, she was truly a trailblazer.
For starters, as we have heard, Her Majesty was a fully trained mechanic, having joined the women's Auxiliary Territorial Service and worked as a mechanic and a truck driver during the Second World War. As a member of the ATS, she was the first female of the royal family to be an active duty member of the British Armed Forces. Not surprisingly, she was also the last surviving head of state to have served during the Second World War.
In 1953, it was her coronation on June 2 that was the first such event to be televised to the tune of 27 million viewers around the world. On December 25, 1957, she made history with her decision to televise her Christmas message, 25 years after her grandfather, King George V, began the Christmas day tradition of a radio address.
Her Majesty modernized the way the royal family interacted with the public. It was during her visit to Australia in 1970 that the Queen set a precedent with a royal walkabout, shaking hands with the public rather than appearing at a distance. It is a tradition that continues today. In 2011, she made history again by being the first British monarch in 100 years to visit Ireland. Of course, she was the longest-serving British monarch in history. There were so many firsts.
Her Majesty was also an individual who embraced advances in technology. In 1969, the Queen expanded her universe, along with many other world leaders, when she included a message of goodwill on the mission to the moon. These messages were transferred onto a silicon disc, which still sits on the moon's surface today. She sent her first email in 1976 from a British army base. She was an early believer in Facebook, signing on to join Facebook in 2010, which I am pretty sure was much earlier than I joined.
Politically, over 70 years, we all know Her Majesty was the head of the Commonwealth, linking more than two billion people worldwide. She watched 14 different British prime ministers come into power during her time as monarch, starting with Sir Winston Churchill up until the most recent British prime minister. In Canada, there were 12 prime ministers during her reign, from then prime minister Louis St. Laurent, who we have heard about today, to our current Prime Minister.
Speaking of Canada, time and again, Her Majesty marked Canada's modern history. Over the course of 70 years and 23 royal tours, Queen Elizabeth II saw this country from coast to coast to coast and was here for every major milestone. It was no secret she loved this country. She would even proclaim that it was good to be home when she would come to Canada.
There were other details about Her Majesty that bring a smile to the face. She was a soccer fan and an avid Arsenal fan. She even invited the team for afternoon tea at the palace in 2006. I understand that she had a sweet tooth and had a piece of chocolate cake every day, including one on her birthday that she shared with all of her staff and the people in the palace. The Queen took delight in her stamp collection. It was built on the collection of her father and previous monarchs and filled about 300 albums.
Heaven forbid if someone witnessed her handbag over her arm because it was a sign to her staff that she was bored with the person she was speaking to. My colleagues need to beware if I ask where my handbag is when they are speaking. They will now know why. I expect I will be doing it a lot when the opposition is asking questions during question period.
While the Queen served with dedication, sincerity and loyalty, she was equally committed to her family. As a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she clearly took great pleasure in her family.
I want to pause for some personal reflections. I was born in Thunder Bay, and probably my earliest memory of Her Majesty was when she came to Fort William in 1973. It was a big event. The streets swelled with people. The people's pride swelled. It left a permanent impression on everybody there, including me as a young man. It was also marked by the occasion of a challenge with protocol, one might say. The mayor at the time was a rather gregarious individual who reached out and touched the Queen in a way that nobody should, and in traditional British fashion the media reported it with photographs that appeared to show the mayor exercising a certain familiarity.
She had a presence everywhere I went. I walked into my classrooms and I walked into many courtrooms, and just to be clear I was a lawyer, and she was always there looking over us. She was a fixture in our lives since the day everybody in this chamber was born, and she will be for the rest of our lives.
I had the honour to meet His Majesty King Charles III when he and the Queen Consort came to Canada this past May. I know I speak on behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, including the people of Etobicoke—Lakeshore, when I wish him the very best as he takes on his new responsibilities. He has big shoes to fill.
To Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, I say rest in peace. She certainly deserves it.
Long live the King.
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- Sep/15/22 12:58:13 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is with sorrow that I rise to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on behalf of my constituents in Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge. I offer condolences to His Majesty King Charles III and the entire royal family.
Queen Elizabeth II was probably the most well-known woman in the entire world. She was an inspiration to hundreds of millions of people for her grace, service, kindness, leadership and example.
As Canada mourns our longest-reigning monarch, we remember her historic service to the British Commonwealth of Nations, her grace, her leadership and her kindness, which inspired many and had an impact on millions of lives.
At 96 years of age, for the vast majority, she has been with us for all of our lives. We knew that she would not be with us forever, but still her passing came as a surprise because she was in the public eye a couple of days beforehand meeting with the new Prime Minister of Britain, Liz Truss. Outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson said on that day that she was “bright and focused” and that his weekly meetings with the Queen were “a wonderful moment of tranquility” and “a fantastic break from everything else”. There is a sense of loss: national loss and personal loss.
I started collecting stamps when I was a child back in the sixties. Back then, one could send a letter across Canada for 4¢. Then it was 5¢, 6¢, 8¢, and now we do not even put a numerical value on the stamps. However, hers was the lovely face on those stamps. On our pennies, and I do have a jarful, nickels, dimes and quarters, on one side is the maple leaf, the beaver, the caribou or the Bluenose schooner and on the other side is her face. We literally carried her with us. She was not only the Queen of Britain but also the Queen of Canada, our Queen, and the longest-serving Queen in Commonwealth, British and Canadian history.
Canada is the third most enduring democracy in the world, which is no small feat. Only the United Kingdom and the United States have been democracies for longer. The stability of our parliamentary system contrasts with so much of the rest of the world, which has undergone revolutions and wars or been under oppressive rule.
We are a constitutional monarchy whereby the Queen, and now the King, are the official head of state under the rule of law in a parliament chosen by the people. The roots of our freedom trace back to the Magna Carta Libertatum, which is Latin for the great charter of freedoms. It was signed to make peace between King John and unhappy barons in 1215, some 800 years ago.
There are symbols of the Crown everywhere in the country, in government and here in Parliament. For example, the Mace, which is before us here, is a symbol of the authority of the sovereign Queen, and now the King, and the power of the House of Commons. The Crown is the institution upon which our entire system of government rests. It is on the authority of the Crown that we uphold democracy, peace, justice and order in Canada. We should never doubt that the Crown is indeed a Canadian institution.
During the American Revolution, Quebec could have joined the other American colonies. We must not forget that the British had conquered New France only 15 or so years earlier, but French Canadians decided that it was much better to remain a colony under England's king and Parliament to better protect their language, religion and freedoms.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was proud of the fact that Canada was a francophone nation and insisted on speaking French at every opportunity.
Queen Elizabeth exemplified service and set the standard for all leaders to follow.
As has been mentioned, on her 21st birthday in 1947, she broadcasted to the world from South Africa, “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service”.
Queen Elizabeth II did live a life of service. In fact, she served in the military during World War II against Nazism as a second lieutenant. On her first televised speech in 1957, she said, “I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice. But I can do something else. I can give you my heart and my devotion”.
Happily, she did live a long life.
On August 28th, just a few days before her passing, I held an outdoor ceremony to award Platinum Jubilee Awards in honour of Her Majesty’s 70 years of reign and in recognition of my constituents’ dedication to community service.
It was a very special time recognizing some of well-known people and others who are not well known. I think of one gentleman who, for many years, has walked for about 10 kilometres a day, and he brings with him a garbage bag to collect garbage along his way. He says he wants to keep fit, but we all benefit from his service.
On her Platinum Jubilee, she said, “When it comes to how to mark 70 years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow. It really is a first.... I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.”
She said, “While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all”.
The Queen had her own style. According to her biographer, as the Queen was quite petite, she felt that it was important to be seen in order to be believed. With that in mind, she chose to wear outfits of bright colours in her public engagements.
With colour-coordinated hats and umbrellas, it was hard to lose sight of the Queen even when it was raining cats and dogs. She kept the same style for decades: monochromatic, colourful and eye-catching, yet unflashy. She said that no one would recognize her if she wore more drab clothing.
She once said, “Grief is the price we pay for love.” As we grieve the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, it is because of our affection for her, and this sorrow is in response to the love she had for her subjects over many, many years.
As a member of His Majesty's loyal opposition, I join my colleagues in offering my full support to our new king, His Majesty King Charles III.
God save the King. Long may he reign.
I will close with this final quote from the Queen: “Each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God.”
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- Sep/15/22 1:17:37 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to begin by expressing my deepest condolences to the royal family during this most heart-wrenching time. Her Majesty's sense of duty to Canada, along with her commitment to other members of the Commonwealth, was continually demonstrated through her noble actions. I know I speak for many when I say we are forever grateful for her devotion to this country.
“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.” These are the famously remembered remarks from the speech that Princess Elizabeth made on her 21st birthday, in 1947. This vow was more than promised; it was undeniably fulfilled.
In 1951, two years prior to her coronation, Princess Elizabeth made a visit to my riding of Brantford—Brant. It was the first of three times that Her Majesty visited my riding. She was accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip, and the couple passed through the city on their way to review cadets at the Royal Military College in Kingston.
In 1984, Her Majesty made her second visit to Brantford. Over 4,000 people, including me and my parents, gathered at Her Majesty's Royal Chapel of the Mohawks, one of Canada's three royal chapels, where she unveiled a plaque recognizing the chapel as Upper Canada's first Anglican church. She also declared the land as a Canadian national historic site for being the oldest surviving church in Ontario.
On that same tour, she visited the Six Nations of the Grand River, which is also located in my riding. The Six Nations commemorate the close ties between the Six Nations and the British Crown annually on Victoria Day, by organizing a “Bread & Cheese” day.
As many know, my riding is also known as the Telephone City. Alexander Graham Bell's family immigrated to Canada and settled on a small piece of farmland just outside the city. On Her Majesty's third and final visit to Brantford in 1997, she paid a visit to the Bell Homestead, the historic site where Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, acknowledging the achievements made by Mr. Bell along with his significance in Canadian history. On this tour, the Queen also dined at the Olde School Restaurant, which is still in operation today and is adorned with photos preserving that moment in history for its customers to continue to enjoy.
I am thankful that many constituents across my riding have taken the time to contact my office, sharing the memories of her visits, expressing the feelings of excitement, joy, hope and kindness that they had when she came, and saying that her presence was unforgettable. The Queen's visits to Brantford are clearly just one illustration of how, during her reign, she was a vigorous participant in Canadian historic evolution and a genuine advocate for the future success of our country.
Over her 70 years, Queen Elizabeth made 22 official trips to Canada. Throughout her reign, she witnessed the rise and fall of 12 prime ministers. Canada is the country that the Queen spent the most time in; thus it is safe to say that the Queen has a special place here in Canada and we are thrilled to serve as her home away from home. Her Majesty's commitment to Canada only just began when she was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom in 1952 and became the first monarch to open the doors of our Parliament in 1957. Queen Elizabeth was the first monarch to be crowned Queen of Canada, and she dedicated her life to public service.
Following in the unforgettable footsteps of her great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who had approved the federation act of 1867, Queen Elizabeth II went on to grant the Constitution Act of 1982 with royal assent. It was her influence on this legislation that made the foundation for Canada to amend its Constitution and allowed the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to become law. For many, Canada entered a new era, an era full of patriation and pride.
Millions of people around the world, in Canada and across the other 14 countries in which the Queen was head of state, are mourning. During her reign, Elizabeth travelled to 117 countries, including 56 Commonwealth states, and presided over 2.5 billion residents. She was undoubtedly the world's most travelled world leader, and her visits certainly played an important role in spreading democratic values throughout the globe throughout the last 70 years.
In her 1947 speech, she encouraged everyone to make the Commonwealth freer, happier, more prosperous and a more powerful influence for good in the world. She said, “To accomplish that we must give nothing less than the whole of ourselves.” She did exactly that, and we must continue to uphold that vow.
Her Majesty's commitment to all realms of the Commonwealth will forever be cherished, and her leadership, commitment and inspiration will forever live on. The passing of Her Majesty was heartbreaking. Serving as the United Kingdom's longest-reigning sovereign, there is no doubt that the mark she left is truly monumental. It has been both an honour and a privilege to serve the citizens of Brantford—Brant as a member of Her Majesty's loyal opposition. She showed us how to lead, gave us hope and set the best example of service above self, and for that we owe her enormous gratitude.
May God grant her eternal rest.
Now, I would like to take this opportunity and stand very proudly, as a member of the riding of Brantford—Brant, and swear my allegiance to King Charles III.
God save the King.
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- Sep/15/22 1:31:55 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is with sadness in our hearts that we are gathered here today to pay tribute to someone who was absolutely all-encompassing. When we think about the impact Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had not only on the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth but also the entire world, our hearts grieve at the tremendous loss for all of us, and in particular those of us on whom she had an impact here in Canada especially, a country she visited so often. I think it was the country she visited most often outside of the U.K. We were beloved by Her Majesty and we loved her back. The hole she leaves in all of us here in Canada is huge, but her legacy will live on and the impact she made will continue for generations to come.
I want to extend my deepest and heartfelt sympathies to the royal family and all those who are grieving the loss of Queen Elizabeth II. The stability Her Majesty brought to the role as Queen was something all leaders can only aspire to and hope to provide to the people they represent and serve.
When I think back on the years she served and all the turmoil our world has gone through in the time of her service and throughout her lifetime, it is rather remarkable. As a child, she was raised in a time of global turmoil. She knew what it was to be in the midst of World War II and world war conflict. In that time, she knew what it was to have her family be under threat of attack. She probably experienced fears like everyone else and wondered what the future would hold, and even at that stage was beginning to feel a bit of the weight that was going to come upon her when she ascended to the throne.
It is hard to believe that no less than 12 Canadian prime ministers served during her reign, from the Right Hon. Louis St-Laurent through to our current Prime Minister. During her reign, 15 United Kingdom prime ministers served, beginning with the one-of-a-kind and one-and-only Sir Winston Churchill. What a way to begin her reign as Queen, serving alongside and with Mr. Churchill. Just two days prior to her passing, she swore in her 15th prime minister, Prime Minister Liz Truss.
She was Queen during the time of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. She was Queen when Apollo 11 made the first moon landing. She was Queen during the Vietnam War and experienced what the world was going through during that time. She experienced the joy of seeing the first-ever woman elected as prime minister of the U.K., that being Margaret Thatcher. She was there in our history for the repatriation of Canada's Constitution and the establishment of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Her Majesty was Queen during the terrible tragedy of Chernobyl's nuclear disaster. She was there for the fall of the Berlin Wall. She was with us during the time of the Gulf War. She was also there for the end of apartheid. She was there to witness the end of strife in Northern Ireland. She was also with us through the tragedy of 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan. Of course she was there when our world experienced the banking crisis, the mortgage crisis and the great recession of 2008-09. She witnessed the start of the Arab Spring. More recently, she went through COVID-19 with the rest of us.
Throughout the vicissitudes of life's ups and downs that our world has gone through, Her Majesty remained a beacon of stability, hope, strength and courage. No matter what our world was going through, whenever Her Majesty spoke, she spoke with a calmness and a resoluteness that resonated with all the people she had influence over.
She bore many titles. She was referred to as the Queen, the head of the Commonwealth, our sovereign and Her Majesty, but it has been said of the Queen that her preferred title, her favourite title, was Her Grace. She loved to be referred to as “Her Grace”. As the story goes, she loved that title because she felt very deeply that she was in her role of the Queen because of the grace of her lord and saviour. She took that role very seriously because she saw it as a fulfilment of her calling here on earth. At the time of her coronation, Her Majesty stated:
Therefore I am sure that this, my Coronation, is not the symbol of a power and a splendour that are gone but a declaration of our hopes for the future, and for the years I may, by God's Grace and Mercy, be given to reign and serve you as your Queen.
The Queen bore witness to the importance of faith in her life and in our world throughout all kinds of circumstances. She celebrated the joys of our seasons, and reflected upon her faith in her annual Christmas addresses that many of us remember with fondness. I am sure in times of crisis and tragedies she drew strength from her faith and she would share that with those of us listening to her messages. She was not immune to the sufferings of her people. Not only was she the Queen but she was also a mother, a grandmother, a wife, a great-grandmother and an aunt. She experienced all that those roles can bring to a person's life and emotions.
Her Majesty experienced the death of her father in 1952 and became our sovereign at the young age of 25. In August 1997, we all remember the tragic loss of Princess Diana. She also endured the passing of her husband in recent years. She understood the stress and strain during the times of turmoil that we have all faced in our lives, but there was an additional component for her. When someone is a leader, where do they go when their heart is heavy and they grieve the affairs of the people they feel responsibility for? Where did the Queen go when her heart was overwhelmed? Where did the Queen go when she felt like she needed to talk to someone? She told us. She expressed to us where she got her strength. She said:
I know just how much I rely on my faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God.
She also said:
To many of us our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.
Today, it is my hope in this House that where Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II found comfort would also be the source of our comfort, that we would look to the same one that she, the Queen, looked to, and find great joy and comfort in the midst of deep sorrow and loss knowing that our hope goes beyond here.
God save the King, and may God continue to bless Canada.
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- Sep/15/22 1:42:31 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, there is a story that is told quite fondly back home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. During a visit to St. John's in 1997, she was invited to tour the historic Purity Factories, which is the purveyors of such Newfoundland delicacies as Peppermint Nobs and Hard Tack. At one point, she stopped next to a worker in his white factory coat and hairnet and watched with him as the belt went by filled with Rum and Butter Kisses or some such. There was a prolonged silence, because the worker was at a complete and total loss for words with the monarch, the Queen of Canada, standing right next to him, until she politely inquired, “What is it exactly that you make here?” Before she even had a chance to finish her question, he immediately answered, “$12.75 an hour, Your Majesty.”
I do not know if that story is even true, but I sure want it to be. We all did at the time. In a time before Facebook, it was the kind of story that leapt over backyard fences; it moved so fast. People laughed at it in a good-natured way because we saw ourselves in it, the awkwardness of the poor fellow being chosen to answer questions of the Queen who had unexpectedly stopped next to him of all people.
Maybe it was the practical nature of Newfoundlanders who assume that when they are asked, “What is it exactly that you make here,” it refers to what it is they earn and only perhaps, upon a second question, what it is they produce. Perhaps it was because we all knew that if this Queen asked the question, “What is it exactly that you make here,” it was not because she was asking about what the person makes. It was because she was asking about the person. That is how we saw her. That is how we knew her.
She had a gentle smile under a broad-brimmed hat, purse at her wrist and flowers in her hands. She walked along lines of people in parks, in malls and in factories, stopping every few steps to make polite inquiries here and there, a handshake and a laugh and then moving along unfailingly happy to be in the presence of others with never a sign of fatigue or disinterest, day after day, month after month, year after year, every year of our lives.
She was a constant and it feels like there are so few constants in our lives anymore. Maybe that is why so many of us were surprised not so much by her passing after such a long and rich life, but by our reaction to it. In what seems to be such a tumultuous time with a pandemic, a war in Europe and global events taking on such careening velocity with all our technology, her constant presence calmed, soothed and inspired.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II understood her role as the head of the Commonwealth, the formality, the responsibility and the obligation, but her brilliance was in finding a way to communicate her humanity while maintaining her mystery, to resort to quiet conversation and not broadcast, and to find some corner of our lives in which to take root and to always be there unfailingly.
She understood more than most how we starve for constants in our lives, even if she was only in the corner of our eye on TV as we made supper for the kids, a fleeting image on our phones as we took the bus home from work, there again in her hat, the line of people, her smile, her purse and her laugh. Some of those people were in on the joke with her. They know why she laughed and they know how she soothed.
Great story aside, that fellow at Purity Factories knows exactly what she said and he will never forget it. Heads of state, presidents and prime ministers were all humbled by her presence to whom she gave searingly good advice that came from experience, that came from having as her first British prime minister to come calling, Sir Winston Churchill. No matter one's station, she was a constant, unfailing and unflinching. She was our North Star, now snuffed out.
In the days ahead, we are going to notice the sky a little emptier and realize what we had all along: a steadfast guardian of our Constitution, an embodiment of the higher calling offered by public service and the face and voice we could rely on in troubling times. For now, we are burdened by the sadness of our loss, but in the days to come we will be buoyed by the example she set and the comfort she offered.
On behalf of my constituents and all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, I extend our most sincere condolences to His Majesty the King of Canada, the royal family and the people of the Commonwealth and around the world who are mourning the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, perhaps the greatest servant to the people any nation has ever known.
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- Sep/15/22 1:48:38 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is both a great honour and a sad responsibility to stand in the House today, on behalf of the people of Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in this special commemorative session. For me, today is another one of those moments that so many of us never imagined being part of. I think we are all still in a bit of shock, because despite her advanced age, we really had not begun to think about or contemplate a world without the only head of state that most of us have known our whole lives.
It is an inspiring reminder of just how long and in how many ways the Queen served all of us to note that not only was she our longest serving monarch, but Queen Elizabeth was among the dwindling group of veterans who proudly served in World War II. In early 1945, as a young woman of 19, she joined the British Auxiliary Territorial Service, becoming the first female member of the royal family on active duty, where she served in non-traditional roles in learning how to drive and maintain vehicles, an interest she maintained for the rest of her life.
When we think of her long reign, it is important to remember that her accession to the throne really was doubly unexpected. In 1936, the unexpected abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII, made her heir to the throne at age 11. Then, the early and equally unexpected death of her father, King George VI, in 1952, thrust her into the role of Queen at the age of 26.
However, Queen Elizabeth seemed to have intuitively understood from the beginning that the role of constitutional monarch requires a broad knowledge and a depth of understanding of both politics and world affairs in order to carry out the role of Queen effectively. She worked very hard at making sure that she was fulfilling that role in the best way she could. She knew that although her powers were in fact very few, they remained very significant.
I apologize here for still being a recovering political scientist even after 11 years in the House, but I do think that an understanding of the role of constitutional monarch is important to understanding just how good a queen Queen Elizabeth II was.
By the 1860s, British constitutional scholar Walter Bagehot famously asserted that only three rights remained to the British sovereign: the right to be consulted, the right to encourage and the right to warn, a clear statement of the line between governing and reigning in a constitutional monarchy. While the Queen could exercise those rights in private, other important functions of the monarchy always required that those rights be exercised only in private. Those other important functions are to serve as a guarantee of constitutional government, to guarantee continuity of government and to provide a symbol of national unity above politics.
It was the passage of the Statute of Westminster by the U.K. Parliament in 1931 that created a separate Canadian monarchy in law. This act also clarified that the Canadian Governor General was the direct representative of the sovereign and not the U.K. government. At the same time, it confirmed the well-established precedent that the few reserve powers of the monarchy, those largely revolving around the appointment and dismissal of prime ministers, could only be discharged by the Canadian Governor General and not the Crown. What was left to British monarchs, now established legally as our Canadian monarchs? It was almost nothing, except, again, guaranteeing constitutional government, guaranteeing continuity and guaranteeing national unity.
While some have trouble seeing a monarch as a symbol of continuity and of the state and unity, personally, I see this concept as providing a key advantage by separating the concept of loyalty from politics. There are other solutions to this problem, but none are so simple and reliable as a constitutional monarchy. That is why there are so many constitutional monarchs among the great democracies of the world, not just Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K. and other members of the Commonwealth, but also Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Norway and Japan.
Today, we need to remind ourselves how much Queen Elizabeth II has come to represent the model constitutional monarch and exemplify the strengths of constitutional monarchy. In our system, the fact that loyalty is expressed toward the Crown protects us from the worst ravages of civil discord. Our oaths are sworn to the Crown and not to the politicians of the day. This means, as some of us like to point out, that everyone can feel free to oppose the Prime Minister without having our loyalty to Canada being questioned. We have seen the dangers of unifying symbolic and political roles in a single person and how that is still playing out in our neighbour to the south.
Queen Elizabeth's long life has caused many to take for granted a second strength of constitutional monarchy, which is continuity. She saw 12 Canadian prime ministers, from Louis St. Laurent to our current Prime Minister, 12 B.C. premiers, from W.A.C. Bennett to John Horgan, and countless other provincial premiers come and go. It is not a surprise given that she served Canada for nearly half of our time as an independent country.
When a constitutional monarch dies, there is no doubt about the continuity of the institution, as their heirs automatically assume the throne. When prime ministers leave office, in turn the constitutional monarchy guarantees there will be someone there to make sure the job is filled.
At this point, I want to acknowledge that the symbol of the Crown has differing meanings for first nations in this country, and I express my respect for those who have different understandings of the role and responsibilities of the sovereign as they relate to first nations. I acknowledge that this understandably results in differing and diverse reactions to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II among first nations.
Now, after my long digression on the role of the monarchy, let me return to the long reign of Queen Elizabeth in less theoretical terms.
She did this job with incredible grace and dignity, in good times and bad, and always under the relentless scrutiny of the press and public. However, somehow, despite the limitations inherent in her role, Queen Elizabeth still managed to let the person she was shine through. I am going to recount two stories that illustrate this for me, although neither is my own story. I trust the owners will not mind, as they have told these stories publicly before.
A few days ago, Dmitriy Shapiro reminded us of the story of the Queen's meeting with Holocaust survivors at the 60th anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz in 2005, as recounted by late Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. Sacks wrote about the Queen's attendance where she met with Holocaust survivors, and while protocol and scheduling normally kept the Queen to a very tight schedule, with the Queen usually being ushered away promptly by her staff at the end of her appearance, on this occasion Queen Elizabeth refused to leave. She remained, speaking individually to members of the large group who had gathered. One of her attendants told Rabbi Sacks that they had never seen her stay so long after a scheduled departure. Let me quote Rabbi Sacks:
She gave each survivor—it was a large group—her focused, unhurried attention. She stood with each until they had finished telling their personal story. It was an act of kindness that almost had me in tears. One after another, the survivors came to me in a kind of trance, saying: “Sixty years ago I did not know if I would be alive tomorrow, and here I am today talking to the queen.” It brought a kind of blessed closure into deeply lacerated lives.
My second story, more brief, demonstrates the Queen's compassion. It has been told by Catherine Clark, who was stuck, as a 10-year-old, at a reception of a Commonwealth heads of government meeting. When she said she wanted to leave, she was told that no one could leave before the Queen, so she waited by the door. A short time later, the Queen came by and asked why she was still at the reception after all this time. Catherine told the Queen that she was waiting for her to leave first, to which the Queen responded, “Well, let’s go then, shall we?” Then she took her hand and off they went.
There are so many more stories of this kind, stories of her kindness and genuine interest in the ordinary people she served. She has touched so many individuals and families. Even in my own family, my uncle, John Garrison, now in his eighties, still likes to recount the story of serving as part of an honour guard when Queen Elizabeth placed a wreath at the Canadian cross on a visit to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington in 1957. He recalls standing along the red carpet when she passed, close enough to reach out and touch her, although he says with a glint in his eye, “Even at a young age I understood that things wouldn't go well for me if I actually did that.”
My own experiences with the Queen were always at a greater distance, including being on the streets of Ottawa in 1983 when the Queen came to preside over the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution and in 1994 when she came to the Commonwealth Games in Victoria. On those occasions, I saw the genuine affection for the Queen first-hand.
My closest personal connection to Queen Elizabeth came at the time of her Diamond Jubilee. One way the Queen chose to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee was by awarding medals for community service, which is so fitting for a monarch whose whole life was one of exemplary service. It was a great honour as a member of Parliament to award those medals in my riding on her behalf, and it meant so much to the recipients.
Queen Elizabeth's love for Canada was shown by her many visits: 22 as a sovereign in total, I am told, including seven visits to British Columbia, with stops on Vancouver Island each time. Some stops in my riding are well documented, including her visits to review cadets at what was then the Royal Roads Military College in 1951 and 1983, showcasing the close connection the royal family has always had with the Canadian Forces.
As well in 1983, the Queen unveiled a plaque at Craigflower school in my riding to commemorate it as the oldest school building still standing in western Canada.
Of course, some of her visits had greater significance, including the 1971 visit marking the 100th anniversary of British Columbia joining Confederation, the 1994 opening of the Commonwealth Games, and probably the most Canadian thing Her Majesty ever did, which was to drop the puck at a National Hockey League exhibition game between the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks in 2002.
What stands out to me in all those visits was the obvious care and attention shown to all those the Queen and other members of the royal family met. This care and attention given to all kinds of Canadians has set a powerful message of belonging and inclusion. In doing so, the Queen set a precedent that will long survive her, a precedent I have recently seen Prince William and Prince Harry follow in carrying on the legacy of Princess Diana in embracing the 2SLGBTQI+ community.
As my time draws to a close, let me extend my personal condolences, along with those of my constituents, to the royal family in this time of great personal loss, of a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother.
Let me also say that I, like many, find it hard to imagine a Canada and indeed a world without the Queen. However, in our political tradition, where precedent plays such a great role, I am confident the Queen has left us with clear guidance on how to preserve a democratic government and how to promote unity and inclusion. She has given us a powerful example of a life of service, one lived with enormous dignity and grace.
Farewell, Queen Elizabeth II. May she rest in peace.
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