January 31, 2006
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Paul Martin today issued the following statement on the death of Coretta Scott King, widow of the late civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., and a noted community leader in her own right.

"It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Coretta Scott King. I was struck by this great woman’s passion and her quiet determination to fulfill her husband’s work for peace and social change. Mrs. King served the causes of women’s rights, racial harmony, non-violence, and a range of other social issues with passion and dignity, both at home and abroad.

"On behalf of all Canadians, I extend my most sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. King, and to the people of the United States of America."