Governor General Mary Simon, the British monarch’s representative in Canada, said in a televised statement Thursday night that the late queen loved Canada and considered this country her “second home.”
“Her Majesty cared about people, about our welfare.  This was clear every time we spoke.  She cared about Canada and all the unique stories that make up our beautiful country,” Simon said at Rideau Hall, her official residence in Ottawa.
The first Indigenous Governor-General also included comments in Inuktitut, adding to the words of remembrance spoken “in countless languages ​​around the world”.
She said the Queen, who died aged 96 earlier on Thursday, had given her a piece of advice when she was appointed to the post earlier this year: “be kind to yourself”.
“I take her words to mean that while we should work hard on the issues that matter, we should also take time to pause.  Be patient.  To drive with understanding and respect,” said Simon.  “I can see the wisdom in those words.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had spoken fondly of the queen in a brief statement to reporters on Thursday, during which he forced himself to keep his cool, his eyes red.
He said the Queen was one of his favorite people in the world and that she had served with strength and wisdom during her 70 years on the throne.  Trudeau, her 12th Canadian prime minister, said he found it hard to believe the last time he saw her was their last meeting.  He called her “thoughtful, wise, curious, helpful and funny,” adding that he will “miss her dearly.”
Protocol calls for 10 days of mourning after the queen’s death.  A date will soon be announced for the funeral, which is expected to be attended by Commonwealth governors-general and prime ministers in London.
A cabinet retreat in Vancouver went ahead Thursday afternoon as planned, but an expected announcement from Trudeau on affordability was canceled, as was a planned fundraising event in the evening.
In the morning, amid news of the Queen’s deteriorating health, ministers had turned to muted colours.  Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, initially wearing a bright red dress, changed to black, while Carolyn Bennett, the mental health minister, swapped her bright red trousers for a dark blue one.
It was Trudeau who told ministers the queen had died, minutes before issuing a public statement.
A statement from the Speaker of the House of Commons, Anthony Rota, noted that the Queen first visited Canada in 1951 before her accession to the throne.
Since then, he has “observed and participated in the development of modern Canada,” Rota said.  He added that the current session of the House and the oaths taken by the members are not affected by the news.
Senate President George Furey noted in a statement that the Queen has twice delivered a speech from the throne in Canada.  Her reign “will continue to instill and inspire the values ​​of public service, selflessness and quiet dignity for generations to come,” he said.
Federal interim Conservative leader Candace Bergen has recalled the Queen’s signing of the Constitution Act in 1982, saying it was a “profound moment”.
“Many will say today that her death marks the end of an era, but really, Her Majesty presided over two eras in Canada’s national life,” Bergen said.  The constitutional update “clearly marked 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.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said while the Queen lived a life of history and duty, she was also a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  “My thoughts today are with her family, who have lost a pillar of strength in their lives.”
Ralph Goodale, Canada’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom, said on Twitter that the Queen is “a profoundly important figure in the most successful constitutional monarchy in world history.”
At Rideau Hall on Thursday night, Simon wrote the first entry in a book of condolences that was to be made available to the public from 9am on Friday.  An electronic condolence book is also available on the Canadian Heritage website.
Mourners left flowers outside Rideau Hall and on the steps of the British High Commission in downtown Ottawa, where a Canadian flag was stretched over the railing Thursday afternoon.
Suzanne Plante left a bouquet there, taking a moment to gather herself through tears.  “For my generation, her stability and her dedication, her service – she and her family have every problem that any other family has had to face, and yet until two days ago, she was still working,” he said.
Elsewhere in the city, flags were flown at half-mast, including at Ottawa City Hall and the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill.
After the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, the transition of power is uncharted territory for the current Canadian government.
Succession from the Queen to her eldest son, now known as King Charles III, is automatic.  There will be a series of formalities to recognize the change, including a proclamation from the Governor-General.
But otherwise there shall be no interruption in any governing bodies meeting in the Queen’s name or in legislation, oaths and other legal documents issued in her name.
The details of how Canada’s 10 days of mourning will play out and what ceremonies Canadians should expect are still being worked out by officials.
“A lot of this remains unclear about exactly how we’re going to follow this in Canada,” says Philippe Lagasse, an associate professor of international affairs at Carleton University and an expert on the Crown’s role in the Westminster system of government.
Trudeau may mark a federal holiday for her funeral, Lagasse said, and could formally announce the Queen’s death in parliament.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 8, 2022.