MPs, including one member who choked back tears, yesterday lamented the Queen’s death at 96. Observances for a Day of Mourning Monday range from a moment’s silence by Toronto streetcar operators to church carillons at Anglican congregations nationwide that will ring out God Save The King..“The Queen is dead and there will be a permanent hollow place in millions of hearts,” said a tearful Conservative MP Scott Reid (Lanark-Frontenac, Ont.). Reid told the Commons his late mother kept a framed photo of the Queen at her bedside..“Her presence, even if it was only in our imagination, was a comfort,” said Reid. “Does it make sense to act as if someone we have only ever seen from a distance is a member of our own family? I do not know.”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, observances on Monday will see a 96-gun salute on Parliament Hill, the tolling of the bells of St. John’s Anglican Cathedral in Winnipeg 96 times, and an order from the Toronto Transit Commission that all streetcars and subway trains halt for 96 seconds..“A lot of us felt we knew the Queen,” said Liberal MP Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre, Ont.). “I believe that she knew us. Her Majesty touched millions of Canadians.”.Conservative MP Andrew Scheer (Regina-Qu’Appelle) said many communities shared warm anecdotes of the Queen. “Her late Majesty’s favourite horse ever was Burmese, the first of the horses gifted by the RCMP that was foaled in Fort Walsh, Saskatchewan,” said Scheer. “The Queen rode Burmese at every Trooping of the Colour for 18 consecutive years from 1969 to 1988.”.“When Burmese retired the Queen never rode to the Trooping of the Colour again, preferring to travel by carriage,” said Scheer. “The statue of Queen Elizabeth riding Burmese can be found in Regina, the Queen City, a city I proudly represent.”.Liberal MP Brendan Hanley (Yukon) recalled a 1959 Royal Tour of Whitehorse when the Queen drove in an open-top Ford Fairline chauffeured by a local gold miner. “Streets were still unpaved and some houses still lacked indoor plumbing,” said Hanley: “There are still Yukoners who remember proudly that visit.”.Cabinet declared a paid holiday Monday for federal employees. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island declared province-wide holidays including school and business closures..British Columbia, Yukon, Nunavut, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador will close government offices but asked private businesses to “commemorate Her Majesty in a manner that works best for them.”.Monday is a regular business day in Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Québec. “Providing an additional holiday at this short notice would have far reaching service delivery implications,” said Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane..Manitoba will close non-essential government offices and asked others to “operate as usual” including schools and businesses. Ontario will observe a moment of silence at 1 pm Eastern Monday.
