Canada11 September, 20263 min read
Jean Chrétien Tells U.S. Never Mistake Canada’s Generosity for Weakness at Gander 9/11 Commemoration
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Chrétien warned the U.S. not to mistake Canada's generosity for weakness in Gander speech. Audience gave Chrétien a standing ovation during the ceremony.
Chrétien’s 9/11 message
Former Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien delivered a pointed message to the United States at a 25th anniversary 9/11 commemoration in Gander, Newfoundland, warning: “Never mistake our generosity for weakness.”
Chrétien spoke as the ceremony marked the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the town’s role in sheltering stranded Americans, with the Globe and Mail noting that “Thirty-eight planes carrying more than 6,500 passengers were grounded in Gander.”
The Globe and Mail said Chrétien’s remarks came amid “unprecedented tensions between Canada and the United States” after the collapse of trade talks and “constant remarks by President Donald Trump about Canada becoming the 51st state.”
CBC reported that Chrétien told Americans not to “mistake our tolerance for lack of determination” while speaking in Gander, N.L., at the 25-year commemoration of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
In the same Gander ceremony, the Globe and Mail said Chrétien’s remarks drew standing ovations and an embrace from U.S. ambassador Pete Hoekstra, who was among the dignitaries present.
Hoekstra, Carney, and tensions
The Globe and Mail described U.S. ambassador Pete Hoekstra’s presence at the Gander event and said Hoekstra told the crowd that those who welcomed Americans during 9/11 were “extraordinary people doing extraordinary things.”
In the same coverage, the Globe and Mail said Prime Minister Mark Carney honoured the “thousands of victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks” in a sombre statement in Banff.
Carney’s tribute, as quoted by the Globe and Mail, emphasized everyday heroes who met hatred with humanity, while the Globe and Mail also tied the moment to Canada’s current disputes with Washington over trade and sovereignty.
The Globe and Mail further reported that Ottawa is studying whether to retaliate against the United States’ latest countermeasures in the trade war with Canada, even as it played down the severity of the most recent salvo from Washington.
Separately, CBC framed Chrétien’s remarks as a warning delivered in Gander, N.L., and said the relationship would survive current tensions, citing a U.S. consul general at the event for Canadian 9/11 victims.
Trade war backdrop and stakes
The Globe and Mail said Chrétien’s remarks in Gander came as Canada and the United States faced “unprecedented tensions,” including the collapse of trade talks and President Donald Trump’s remarks about Canada becoming the 51st state.
The Globe and Mail also reported that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s week included a cabinet planning forum in Banff and that the Prime Minister’s Office listed speakers including political scientist Ian Bremmer, pollster Janet Brown, and Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas.
In the same Globe and Mail account, it said Ottawa is weighing a response to Trump’s latest trade blow and that Canadian business travel to the United States increased by 16.5 per cent year over year in August.
The Globe and Mail added that Ottawa’s spending limits are shaping the lead-up to Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum on separation, with provincial rules “strictly limit Ottawa’s spending” while local federalist groups struggle to raise cash.
Against that backdrop, the Globe and Mail said Chrétien’s message was delivered with a focus on Canada’s identity—“Canada is generous, open country, and Canadians are tolerant and kind”—as the ceremony unfolded in Gander.