Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the queen was “a constant presence in our lives” and praised her for being in Canada for the country’s key milestones during her reign, which spanned more than seven decades. 
In Quebec, leaders shared messages of condolence to the British people to mark the Queen’s death.
“She made a lot of sacrifices and she was a strong woman. And I think there must be indeed many people, many fans there, who must be a little surprised today,” François Legault said Thursday after suspending his work.  election campaign as the country mourns.
Quebec’s current premier has ordered all flags on public buildings to be flown at half-mast out of respect for the queen.  A register will be available next to the Quebec legislature building for members of the public who wish to pay their respects to the royal family. 
Reacting to the Queen’s death, Quebec Liberal leader Dominique Anglade said she considered the monarch a “great leader.”
“She was a woman who was ahead of her time. A historical figure who dedicated her whole life to public service and did it with grace and dignity,” he told a news conference. 
“My condolences, my condolences go out to her family and to the British people.”

Quebec Liberal leader Dominique Anglade speaks to the media while campaigning Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Laval. Quebec votes in provincial election on October 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz Quebec Conservative leader Éric Duhaime told reporters “it’s a very sad day.” “The Queen was an institution, of course, because of her function, but also because she had been there for so long,” he said. “It’s a very unique thing and I think she was a queen for the role she played, she did a really good job in the sense that she wasn’t controversial, everyone liked her and I think everyone is sad today.” Quebec Solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois expressed his condolences on Twitter. “Queen Elizabeth II will have marked her time. I would like to express my condolences and wish her loved ones a peaceful death,” said Nadeau-Dubois. Queen Elizabeth II will have marked her time. I would like to express my condolences and wish his family a peaceful death. — Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois (@GNadeauDubois) September 8, 2022
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante praised the queen’s dedication to public service in a tweet on Thursday, adding that she “showed a great sense of duty during her reign.” Our thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen’s loved ones and the bereaved Britons. Elizabeth II dedicated her life to public service and showed a great sense of duty during her reign – the longest in UK history. #polmtl — Valérie Plante (@Val_Plante) September 8, 2022

QUEBEC FLAG SHOULD NOT COME DOWN, PQ SAYS

There was one political leader, however, who was opposed to lowering the Quebec flag in tribute to the Queen.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said in a tweet that “while I express my condolences to the family, I oppose the lowering of the flag by the nation of Quebec.”
He went on to say that Legault “must not treat the Queen of England as the head of state of Quebec, nor give credence to an illegitimate British colonial regime in Quebec.”
While my condolences go out to the family, I am opposed to the nation of Quebec lowering its flag.  F. Legault should not treat the Queen of England as the head of state of Quebec, nor give credence to an illegitimate British colonial regime in Quebec.

— Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (@PaulPlamondon) September 8, 2022
St-Pierre Plamondon’s tweet was seen by many online as disrespectful, but his sentiments about the monarchy are ones that seem to be resonating with more and more Canadians. An Angus Reid poll in April showed that more than half of Canadians support the idea of ​​abolishing the monarchy. In Quebec, an overwhelming majority – 71 percent – are in favor of the idea. “So what you have is that there is a declining support for the monarchy in Canada, including Quebec. But in Quebec, of course, support for the monarchy, especially among francophones, has long been limited,” Daniel said. Béland, a professor at the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada. Béland also told The Canadian Press that although she tried to speak French during her visits to Quebec, her visits were sometimes marked by controversy, particularly over her remarks about Canadian unity. With files from CTV Montreal’s Bogdan Lytvynenko