US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra is scheduled to visit Gander on September 11 to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The town's planned remarks by Hoekstra have angered locals due to the current state of US-Canada relations, with President Donald Trump's trade war and other controversies contributing to anti-American tension. A statement from the town acknowledges people's frustration but says Hoekstra is attending to say thank you for Canada's kindness during 9/11. Over 260,000 Canadians have signed a petition calling for Hoekstra's removal due to past comments.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
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Leaning score -0.35 for article 4469 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-05
A week before U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra is set to give remarks in Gander to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Newfoundland town that became famous for its kindness on that day addressed growing community anger about his attendance.
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that → set → attendance
“We understand why people feel strongly about this,” said a statement from the town released Friday afternoon.
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statement → understand → town
“We are proud Canadians, and we understand the frustration and disappointment many Canadians are feeling about the current state of the relationship between Canada and the United States.
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Canadians → understand → Canada
As the terrorist attacks were unfolding on Sept. 11, 2001, 38 planes carrying thousands of passengers were diverted to Gander.
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planes → unfold → Gander
The town famously stepped up, with locals opening up their homes, setting up shelters and providing meals and medication to the stranded passengers, many of whom were American.
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many → step → whom
They formed lifelong bonds and connections that are emotionally depicted in the immensely popular Broadway musical Come From Away.
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that → form → Away
Gander’s kindness, a symbol of co-operation between the Canada and the U.S., has also been immortalized in a new Heritage Minute, released this week.
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kindness → immortalize → Minute
But anti-American tension has ratcheted up in recent weeks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada, his order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America and the slew of trolling memes coming out of the White House.
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tension → ratchet → House
This week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media a screenshot of a young Canadian cadet and her instructor at the end of summer training camp, mocking them with the words “this is real,” raising the ire of people across the country.
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this → post → country
Mr. Hoekstra himself has faced fierce backlash for months, after saying earlier in the year that annexing Canada as the 51st state would be a great topic of discussion for Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mr. Trump.
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annexing → face → Carney
A House of Commons petition signed by more than 260,000 Canadians calling for his removal remains active.
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petition → sign → removal
Mr. Hoekstra’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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office → respond → comment
Earlier this week Mr. Hoekstra said in a statement that he is returning to Gander on the 9/11 anniversary to say thank you and to honour the enduring bond.
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he → say → bond
Mr. Hoekstra is hosting a breakfast for volunteers and attending a commemoration service in Gander where he’s speaking on friendship and connection.
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he → host → friendship
Plans for his attendance have triggered controversy and emotion in the community and on social media, said Mayor Percy Farwell in an interview with The Globe and Mail prior to the town’s statement.
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Farwell → trigger → statement
“There is a certain delicacy to the timing this year,” he said, referring to Mr. Trump’s trade war.
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he → be → war
“This story does transcend that.”
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story → transcend → that
“Administrations come and go and ambassadors come and go but at the end of the day we have a lasting relationship.”
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we → come → relationship
The town explained in its statement that it followed the appropriate protocol when planning the commemoration by extending invitations to government and diplomatic representatives, adding that this doesn’t mean the town endorses “any individual, their comments or their political views.”
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town → explain → individual
In his interview, Mr. Farwell asked that the focus of the commemoration be about people, the close to 3,000 people who lost their lives on 9/11 and the acts of humanity in Gander, not politics.
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who → ask → Gander
Meanwhile, the popular national satire publication The Beaverton had already re-written the script with a post titled “Come from Away sequel will see Newfoundlanders put the friggin’ boots to Pete Hoekstra.”
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Newfoundlanders → re → Hoekstra
