Canadian, global leaders remember Pope Francis as ‘world’s conscience’

Leaders from around the globe paid tributes to Pope Francis after his death, with Liberal Leader Mark Carney calling him the 'world's conscience.'

Tributes are pouring in from around the world for the late Pope Francis hours after his death, with world leaders remembering him as a voice of “moral clarity, spiritual courage and boundless compassion.”

Liberal Leader Mark Carney started his campaign event in Prince Edward Island with a tribute to the late pontiff.

“I want to speak of someone who just passed and who deeply and profoundly touched lives of billions. Pope Francis was a voice of moral clarity, spiritual courage and boundless compassion. He was, in many respects, the world’s conscience, never hesitating to challenge the powerful on behalf of the vulnerable,” said Carney, who is a practising Catholic.

“During his papal visit to Canada in 2022, his apology on residential schools was a crucial step in moving the church forward in its journey towards meaningful reconciliation.”

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon in a statement remembered the Pope as “a beacon of hope and compassion, spreading messages of peace, love and understanding throughout the world.”

Simon said he had a legacy of “humility, social justice and environmental stewardship.”

Simon, the first Indigenous person to serve as Canada’s governor general, recalled attending his 2022 apology to residential school survivors.

“It was a testament to his commitment to respect, dialogue and collaboration across cultures and faiths—values he held dear throughout his papacy. May his soul rest in peace, and may his teachings continue to inspire us to build a better world for all,” she said.