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Canadians react to the death of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has died at the age of 87.

According to reports, she died Monday, at a hotel in London after suffering a stroke.

"It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning," her spokesperson, Lord Bell, said in a statement according to the Telegraph newspaper.

"A further statement will be made later."

Thatcher, known as the 'Iron Lady', was the U.K.'s first female prime minister and served in that role from 1979 to 1990.

BBC News has described her as one of that country's "most dominant political figures in the 20th century."

Her legacy had a profound effect upon the policies of her successors, both Conservative and Labour, while her radical and sometimes confrontational approach defined her 11-year period at No 10.

Her term in office saw thousands of ordinary voters gaining a stake in society, buying their council houses and eagerly snapping up shares in the newly privatised industries such as British Gas and BT.

But her rejection of consensus politics made her a divisive figure and opposition to her policies and her style of government led eventually to rebellion inside her party and unrest on the streets.

Former Liberal MP and Yahoo! Canada News contributor David Kilgour said that she had a tremendous impact not only in the U.K. but around the world.

"Margaret Thatcher changed the dynamics of politics in and beyond her own country," Kilgour said in an email exchange.

"A person of modest background, she challenged prevailing economic and political orthodoxies in the West on a host of issues. On some of them, she was proven correct."

Thatcher also had an impact on Canada and Canadians.

As explained by former CBC journalist Don Newman, Thatcher was prime minister when Canada patriated the Constitution in in the early eighties.

"She pushed it through the British House of Commons," Newman told CBC Newsworld.

"There were a lot of Conservative backbenchers...who seemed to think that they should hold up the Constitution Act in the [British Parliament]. There were a lot of protests in England from Aboriginal groups and others and she just whipped [her] Conservative caucus into line and said you know I told Pierre I'd get it through."

She was a good friend of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Here is an excerpt from her last speech -- in 1988 -- addressing the Canadian Parliament.

A Canadian Prime Minister, at the turn of the century, predicted that "the 20th century will be the century of Canada." The last twelve months have certainly shown his prophecy to be true. And I should like to pay a particular tribute to the skilful and creative chairmanship of those meetings by your Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, most recently at the highly successful Economic Summit. Few have the privilege of feeling that they have moved the world's fortune a step forward. He has done so and deserves our thanks and congratulations.

In taking his leave of you in 1962, Winston Churchill did not say goodbye. Rather, he said: "Au revoir, mes amis canadiens. C'est un avenir splendide qui vous attend demain!" ("Farewell my Canadian friends. A marvellous future awaits you!"). It is indeed a splendid future that awaits Canada, one filled with opportunity and pride. I know that Britain and Canada will walk that road together unswerving in our purpose, strong in our joint defence and firm in our abiding friendship."

On CTV's Canada AM, this morning, Mulroney opined about his friend.

"My thought is, what a tremendous impact, this woman had on her country and the world. She was an exceptional leader," Mulroney said noting that he and Thatcher stayed in touch even after they both left politics.

"As a person, she was a delight to be with. To work with. And she will greatly missed."

Current politicians also paid their tributes on Twitter:

Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae:

Conservative MP Michelle Rempel:

Prime Minister Harper released a statement saying that "the world has lost a giant among leaders."

"While many in positions of power are defined by the times in which they govern, Margaret Thatcher had that rarest of abilities to herself personify and define the age in which she served," Harper said.

"Indeed, with the success of her economic policies, she defined contemporary conservatism itself. In 2006 I met with her in London, where she provided me wise and gracious counsel, the memory of which I will forever cherish. Laureen and I join all Canadians in saluting the proud life and legacy of Lady Thatcher."

(Photo courtesy of Reuters)

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