'A lasting symbol': Ontario unveils new statue of Queen Elizabeth II

Ontario has officially unveiled a commemorative bronze statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II on the front lawn of Queen’s Park.

The statue is located next to the visitor’s entrance of the legislative building.

Speaking at a ceremony Tuesday morning, Premier Doug Ford said the $1.5 million statue “pays tribute to her late Majesty’s contribution to Ontario history and heritage.”

“For seven decades, Queen Elizabeth the Second put service before self. She was a leader, a role model, and a source of comfort and stability during very difficult times,” the premier said.

“(The statue) will serve as a lasting symbol of our traditions and values, and we hope it educates and inspires visitors to Queen's Park today and for generations to come.”

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The piece has been years in the making, having been first commissioned in 2016 after receiving the Queen’s approval.

Ontario artist Ruth Abernethy told CTV News Toronto in the summer that the statue depicts the Queen as she appeared when she spoke to the Canadian Parliament in 1977. However, she added a cape because “it was less static.”

“And this [being] Canada, you know you want to feel that in the middle of a Canadian winter she could pull that round herself [when] she needs to.”

Ontario Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell took time at the unveiling to address the complicated history the monarchy has with Indigenous people, noting that “like all historical statues, it asks us to think about the relationship between the present and the past.”

“For me, when I look up at this statue on this land covered by Treaty 13, I reflect on the role of the crown and on its relationships with Indigenous peoples, a relationship that stretches back for hundreds of years and one that Her Majesty took very seriously,” she said.

“Indeed, the very first thing we spoke about during my official audience with her at Buckingham Palace, was actually the path to reconciliation.”

Over the last few months, the statue has faced criticism from those that feel the government shouldn’t celebrate the monarchy.

Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 on Sept. 8, 2022. She reigned for 70 years.