44th Parl. 1st Sess.

September 15, 2022 10:00AM

Mr. Francesco Sorbara (Vaughan—Woodbridge, Lib.)

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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