Former Israeli President Shimon Peres has died at the age of 93.
He was hospitalized two weeks ago after suffering a stroke that led to bleeding in his brain and was on a respirator during most of his time in hospital.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper has posted a message on Twitter saying he and his wife, Laureen, ``are saddened to learn of the passing of dear friend Shimon Peres.''
Harper offered his sincere condolences to the Peres family and to the people of Israel.
Former foreign affairs minister John Baird also expressed his condolences on Twitter, calling Peres a ``wonderful human being'' and that the world has lost a great statesman and that both he and Canada ``have lost a friend.''
Peres was the elder statesman of Israeli politics, one of the country's most admired leaders and was the last surviving link to its founding fathers.
Over a seven-decade career, he held virtually every senior political office, including three stints as prime minister. Peres shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 with Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat.
``Few have accomplished more for the advancement of Israel and the Jewish people than Shimon Peres,'' said Conservative interim Leader Rona Ambrose in a statement.
``He was a man who was the architect of Israel's robust defence strategy, and someone who also won the Nobel Peace Prize in an attempt to find peace with the Palestinian people.''