Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Candice Bergen, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, released the following statement on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II:
“It is with a heavy heart that I learned of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. On behalf of the Conservative Party of Canada, I want to express our deepest condolences to the Royal family.
“As a proud Commonwealth country, we grieve with unspeakable sadness the loss of our longest-reigning monarch. Her Majesty’s sense of duty to Canada was both deeply held and demonstrated in her actions.
“As Queen of Canada, she was not only a witness to our historical evolution as a modern, confident, and self-assured nation – she was an active participant. She was with us to open the St. Lawrence Seaway. She presided over our centennial celebrations. Later, she even opened the Olympic Games in Montreal.
“Many will say today that her passing marks the end of an era, but truly, Her Majesty presided over two eras in Canada’s national life.
“Twenty-five years after she opened Canada’s Parliament for the first time, Her Majesty signed the Constitution Act. In so doing, she granted Canada the ability to amend our constitution with full autonomy and entrenched the Charter of Rights and Freedoms firmly into Canadian law. This profound moment clearly defined the beginning of a new era for Canada as a fully self-governing nation, while maintaining strong ties to the history that made us who we are.
“While our country has been cast into mourning, our thoughts are with her entire family, and especially to His Majesty, Charles. Long may he reign.”