When we visited Newfoundland and Labrador we got a real feel for the citizens of this province. They were all so friendly and welcoming. I'd seen the movie and Broadway play "Come from Away". I loved them both. I wanted to watch the 9/11 ceremony from Gander. I put on CBC Newsworld and they broadcasted it live. I like CBC as they always have an interpretter when they start speaking French.
I was shocked when they invited Pete Hoekstra, the US Ambassador to Canada. He's said some pretty nasty things about Canada. There is a petition to expel him from our country. I must say I thought he had an excellent speech. No one heckled or disrespected him. We are better than that. He thanked the Canadian Military for liberating his parents in the Netherlands in WWII!
Jean Chrétien’s speech at the 25th anniversary of 9/11, delivered at age 92, drew multiple standing ovations and was widely described as fiery, patriotic, and deeply moving.
The core of his message echoed exactly what you felt watching it:
“We bow to no one.”
“Never mistake our generosity for weakness.”
“Never, never mistake our kindness for softness.”
He reminded Americans — including Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, who was sitting right there — that Canada stood shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the U.S. after the attacks, invoking Article 5 of NATO and sending troops to Afghanistan.
But he also spoke plainly about the fractured political relationship between the two countries today, saying that friendship requires honesty.
The audience responded exactly as you saw: hats off, people on their feet, long applause. It was a moment of pride, resolve, and unity — very much in the spirit of Newfoundland and Labrador’s extraordinary kindness during 9/11.
We are a bilingual country but the CBC translates it. At the very end of this video, Pete Hoekstra goes out of his way to give Jean Chrieten a hug! I hope this event changes some minds of those in the US from trying to annex us.
If you want to watch the entire broadcast, it's wonderful. The music and speeches were inspiring and made you happy you live in such a wonderful country. It is the entire live broadcast. The actual ceremony starts at 33:30. Enjoy and get a kleenex.
