Mr. Speaker, on June 2, 1953, the young Princess Elizabeth was crowned Queen Elizabeth II.
At her coronation, she said the event was “not a symbol of a power and a splendour that are gone, but a declaration of our hopes for the future”.
Indeed, since her Majesty's accession to the Throne, Canada's accomplishments have been as varied and numerous as they are historic: the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the patriation of the Canadian Constitution and the creation of Nunavut.
As our Head of State throughout these years, and on these occasions, she has unfailingly typified continuity, stability and integrity.
Today, at the unveiling of her official portrait commemorating the 50th year of her reign, Queen Elizabeth II remains a symbol of continuity, stability and tradition in a world that is under a barrage of constant change.