Mr. Speaker, 95 years ago today, a princess was born in London. Her future looked rather ordinary, but she went on to make history.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, today marks nine and a half decades of a life so profoundly dedicated to service that few, if any of us, can ever begin to imagine or comprehend.
However, today, Her Majesty is also living her greatest loss. Mourning for the Duke of Edinburgh, her closest companion for 73 of those 95 years, can only be a profoundly painful reminder that the solitude of her reign is now total.
My lifelong monarchist leanings aside, today I wish to salute our extraordinary sovereign, Her Majesty the Queen of Canada. I want to commend her sense of duty, her undeniable dedication as the head of the Commonwealth to foster harmony among its member states and, above all, her refusal to let adversity conquer hope.
With deep respect, Your Majesty, my heartfelt wishes for a day blessed with the affection of millions of people throughout the Commonwealth.