American diplomat Baxter Hunt recalls showing up to work at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa the morning after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and finding “a mountain of flowers” outside the building.
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Hunt → recall → building
“It was just a day that none of us will ever forget,” said Hunt, now the U.S. consul general in Toronto.
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Hunt → forget → Toronto
“What also stuck with me was the outpouring of support that we got from Canadians.”
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we → stick → Canadians
This Friday marks 25 years since nearly 3,000 people in the U.S. were killed when al-Qaeda hijackers slammed planes into the World Trade Center in New York and crashed into the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.
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hijackers → mark → Pentagon
In the days that followed, Hunt witnessed many more displays of Canadian compassion and support for a grieving nation.
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Hunt → follow → nation
Three days after the attack, 80,000 people crowded Parliament Hill for a national day of mourning, according to an RCMP estimate reported by The Canadian Press that week.
uncertain
people → crowd → Press
‘’By their outpouring of concern, sympathy and help, the feelings and actions of Canadians have been clear,” then-prime minister Jean Chrétien told the crowd.
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Chrétien → tell → crowd
‘’And even as we grieve our own losses, the message they send to the American people is equally clear.
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they → grieve → people
The whole world is with you.’’
Similar moments of silence took place at provincial legislatures and even in the heart of Canada’s financial sector on Bay Street.
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moments → take → Street
On the day of the attacks, the Newfoundland community of Gander famously took in 38 passenger planes carrying more than 6,500 travellers after officials closed U.S. airspace.
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officials → take → airspace
“Just an incredible showing of compassion by those people for complete strangers, who needed them at that time,” Hunt said.
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Hunt → need → time
“There were also many, many stranded passengers who went to other locations around Canada, about 33,000, I understand.”
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I → be → Canada
Hunt was quick to mention the 24 Canadians who were killed in the attacks alongside other non-Americans.
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who → mention → Americans
He was 38 and working as the embassy’s political-military officer on Sept. 11, 2001.
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He → work → Sept.
American diplomats “naturally came together” with Canadian law enforcement and military officials to identify threats, he said.
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he → come → threats
“No one knew initially exactly what else might happen.
uncertain
what → know → ?
And we wanted to make sure we weren’t vulnerable to other attacks,” Hunt said.
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Hunt → want → attacks
“The response of Canadians at a time when we most needed it was incredible.”
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we → need → it
Both countries standardized airport security.
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countries → standardize → security
Allies took up air patrols around the U.S.
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Allies → take → U.S.
The NATO military alliance invoked its collective security clause for the first time, sending Canadians and allied troops to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan.
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alliance → invoke → Afghanistan
That war lasted for more than a dozen years and 165 Canadians – 158 soldiers and seven civilians – died in the conflict.
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Canadians → last → conflict
“It was an event that was a shift in how we perceived threats around the world, and something that happened in the homeland, which we really hadn’t seen before,” Hunt said.
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Hunt → perceive → which
“It was something that just reinforced the need for us to work together.”
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us → reinforce → need
Hunt spoke to The Canadian Press shortly before trade talks in Washington collapsed.
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talks → speak → Washington
Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the U.S. of launching an economic “war” on its erstwhile ally and U.S. President Donald Trump moved to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.”
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Trump → accuse → America
Hunt said the legacy of 9/11 is seen in the depth of the relationships between Canadians and Americans throughout the ups and downs in the bilateral relationship.
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legacy → say → relationship
“That is something that we saw big time after the 9/11 attacks.
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we → see → attacks
People just feeling like these are our friends and neighbours, and it is like an extended North American family.
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it → feel → family
And that really came through.
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that → come → ?
And that’s something that I believe is still very strong today,” he said.
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he → ’ → ?
“It’s great to remember that as we approach the 25th anniversary, and be grateful that we have that close, close relationship.”
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we → ’ → relationship
The Toronto consulate is holding events this month to commemorate the anniversary.
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consulate → hold → anniversary
They include an ongoing exhibition at a Toronto arts centre of pen and ink drawings by Toronto-based artist John Coburn, who was in New York after the attacks.
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who → include → attacks
Hunt said the exhibit includes interactive events with local college students, many of whom were born after the attacks.
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many → say → attacks
On the Friday anniversary, the consulate will hold an event at the same art centre bringing together first responders and government officials to honour the victims.
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consulate → hold → victims
That event will feature Maureen Basnicki, whose husband Ken was killed at the World Trade Center.
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husband → feature → Center
Hunt will open the Toronto Stock Exchange that day to commemorate the city’s connections with New York.
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Hunt → open → York
He’ll also visit a memorial walkway in St. Catharines, Ont. on Thursday.
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He → visit → Thursday
The Aporia
