Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House today on behalf of all Conservatives, the constituents of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, many Canadians and many current and former members of our Canadian Armed Forces to pay tribute to the life of service by Field Marshal, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh on his passing. We all share our deepest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and all members of the royal family.
I am going to focus my comments on the prince's impact on our Canadian military and, I will admit, skewed toward his service as the colonel-in-chief to The Royal Canadian Regiment for 68 years, why I fully recognize he served in this capacity for other Canadian Army regiments, including the cadets, was an admiral for the Royal Canadian Navy, captain general of the Canadian Army and general of the Royal Canadian Air Force. As such, I am going to read into the record not my own words, but quotes from some key Canadian military leaders on His Royal Highness's passing.
The Colonel Commandant of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery said that His Royal Highness's life of devotion, service and duty in war and in peace “will remain an enduringly worthy example for us all.”
On behalf of The Royal Canadian Regiment, the Right Hon. David Johnston, the 28th Governor General of Canada and the Colonel of the Regiment, “We share a deep sadness on the passing of His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, a man who personified service before self. We wish to extend our sincere condolences to Her Majesty, the Queen; the entire Royal Family, as well as His Royal Highness' friends and colleagues in this most difficult time.”
From Major-General Steve Whelan, the senior serving within The RCR, “The RCR was privileged to have His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, wear the cap badge of Canada's oldest regular force infantry regiment for 68 years. He served as a role model of service to country that no other will likely ever surpass. His leadership will be missed.”
From Colonel (Ret'd) Joe Aitchison, and former colonel of the regiment:
No description of Prince Philip's connection to The Royal Canadian Regiment would be complete without reference to an event that occurred well before he was appointed Colonel-in-Chief, but became known only 70 years after the fact.
On October 1942, young Philip had just been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and appointed First Lieutenant of HMS Wallace, notably the youngest officer of the Royal Navy to hold such an appointment at the time. HMS Wallace was assigned to support Operation HUSKY, the allied invasion of Sicily that began on 10 July 1943.
The Royal Canadian Regiment was one of the units that took part in the invasion landing as part of the 1st Canadian Division. The regiment's objective was a small airfield near Pachino on the southeast area of Sicily. The second in command of the anti-tank platoon on the day of the landing was a young Royal Canadian, Sherry Atkinson.
Fast forward 70 years:
At the breakfast reception preceding the presentation of the new Regimental Colour of the Third Battalion in Toronto on 27 April 2013, the Colonel-in-Chief, the reviewing officer, met Mr. Atkinson by design. In the course of their conversation, they established that on the day of the landing they had been roughly at the same place at the same time, the Prince offshore and Sherry onshore, with the former providing naval gunfire support to the activities of the latter. When they established this connection, it became very difficult indeed to separate them.
This is the kind of connection that existed between Prince Philip and The Royal Canadian Regiment over the entire 68 years of his appointment as its Colonel-in-Chief. The connection can perhaps be best described as a relationship between warriors, unquestionably of different generations and background, with shared values and ethos.
I fully agree with these esteemed Canadian military leaders' words that clearly highlight His Royal Highness's dedication to service. Further, I would add that I had the honour to meet the prince in person during the same visit in 2013 as the commanding officer of the Second Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment. Our interaction was likely only 10 seconds in duration, but I still count myself fortunate to have had this privilege. Watching the prince work the room, showing his accustomed ability to relate to whomever he was speaking to, be that a private soldier or the Governor General, his remarkable stamina, his close eye to detail and his overwhelming charm was incredibly impressive.
Next, I would like to focus on the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. These awards will be one of the most significant legacies that will immortalize Prince Philip and his encouragement of youth. Established in 1956, it came to Canada in 1963. Today, the Duke of Edinburgh's international award operates in over 130 countries and territories globally. Over 500,000 Canadians have benefited from the program since its inception.
It recognizes young people between the ages of 14 and 24, and encourages those youth to develop universal skills, such as creativity, problem-solving, communication and decision-making.
The award's aims include improving mental health, employability and earning potential, physical fitness and health; and increased engagement with charitable and community causes.
The award program is comprised of four sections. The service section is intended to develop a sense of community and social responsibility. The adventurous journey section aims to cultivate a spirit of adventure and discovery, and an understanding of the environment. The skills section develops cultural, vocational and practical skills. The physical recreational section encourages improved performance in fitness.
I think all members of the House would agree the Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a program that is just as applicable today, if not more so, than when the program was established in 1956.
Tied to my own riding of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, I would offer this unique piece of history tied to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award winners and the official opening of the Bruce Trail in 1967 by Lord Hunt. Lord Hunt was the director of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award program and was the leader of the climb of Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary. In August of 1967, Lord Hunt joined 27 of the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award winners from 13 different Commonwealth countries for the start of the hike on the Bruce Trail from Tobermory to Owen Sound, which included five Canadian gold award winners.
As a side note, I have learned that during the initial planning for this event it was suggested that a then young Prince Charles and possibly Prince Philip would accompany the group. The original plan was to have them flown in by helicopter with an RCMP detail. Apparently, the local committee was aware of this and told it was top secret. Committee members were then surprised when on their way to a Duke of Edinburgh meeting in Toronto they heard on CFOS, the local radio station back in the riding, that Prince Charles might accompany the group. That announcement ended any talk right then of Prince Charles or Prince Philip coming to the hike with the group. I guess maintaining confidentiality has been an ongoing problem for more than just political parties. In this case, it is very unfortunate, as I am sure both Prince Charles and Prince Philip would have enjoyed the hike on the magnificent Bruce Trail.
In closing, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, lived a life of service and public duty. As a consort to Her Majesty the Queen, he was an unwavering, loyal companion in supporting her as monarch. His service as a warrior, leader and public figure for his entire life is hard to fathom. He serves as an example we can all learn from.
On behalf of all Canadians and the Conservatives, I offer Her Majesty the Queen our deepest condolences on the passing of the prince. May he rest in peace. Pro Patria.