Town of Gander urges calm as Hoekstra’s planned visit for 9/11 anniversary angers locals

Read the original at The Globe and Mail ↗
Cite

Jones, L. (2026, September 5). Town of Gander urges calm as Hoekstra’s planned visit for 9/11 anniversary angers locals. The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-pete-hoekstra-us-ambassador-gander-911-anniversary/

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

The Globe and Mail · collected 2026-09-05 · by Lindsay Jones

Quick Summary

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 locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-05, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

The town of Gander in Newfoundland is facing backlash over its decision to invite US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra to give remarks at an event commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Hoekstra's attendance has angered locals, who are upset about the current state of relations between Canada and the US. The town explained that it had followed proper protocol by extending invitations to government representatives, but this didn't imply endorsement of Hoekstra or his views. Gander made headlines in 2001 when 38 planes carrying thousands of passengers were diverted there after the attacks, and locals showed kindness to the stranded travelers, forming lasting bonds with them. The town's hospitality has been celebrated in a Broadway musical and a new Heritage Minute, but tensions between Canada and the US have risen recently, contributing to the anger over Hoekstra's planned visit.

Written for “Gander 9/11 Visit Protests” on 2026-10-21, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Gander 9/11 Visit Protests
Politics · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans left and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Toronto Star
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 5% hedged 2 of 42 📰 publisher trust 63
“Article A discusses Pete Hoekstra's planned visit to Gander for the 25th anniversary of 9/11, while Article B recounts a diplomat's experience in Ottawa the morning after the attacks”
CBS News
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 54 📰 publisher trust 66
“Article A discusses a planned visit by Pete Hoekstra to Gander on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, while Article B reflects on the events of 9/11 itself when Gander provided safe haven for grounded flights”
CBS News
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 3 📰 publisher trust 66
“Article A discusses a planned visit by Pete Hoekstra to Gander on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, while Article B describes a historical event from 16 years ago when Gander provided shelter to stranded passengers during the actual 9/11 attacks”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
21
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 21 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
53/100
The Globe and Mail's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-05 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Globe and Mail · 850 article(s) · 28 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 28 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Lindsay Jones
8 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Prime Minister Mark Carney told the House of Commons on Monday that 50 investigators are on the ground in Wainwright conducting three separate probes, including a military board of inquiry, which will consider how to prevent similar events in the future.
🔮 The army is expected to investigate the fire at the Canadian Forces base in Wainwright, Alberta, in which four soldiers were killed and 39 people injured, through a process known as a board of inquiry, which can compel evidence and is designed to make recommendations to prevent similar incidents.
🔮 A congregation of aging Roman Catholic nuns, who founded St. Martha’s Regional Hospital more than a century ago, will no longer sponsor the facility, clearing the way for the health facility to offer medical assistance in dying and abortion services under one roof.
🔮 “The more we are insulted, are threatened and abused, the more we will stand up for ourselves and stand united.”
🔮 When she asked if he was afraid she might steal his truck, he told her: “Well, you’re on an island.
🔮 “Hilroy will never take away our identity, our history, or our place on the map.”
🔮 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.
Also by Lindsay Jones
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 8 articles by Lindsay Jones →

Topics

Canada Canadians Gander Newfoundland U.S.

Subjects

Gander GPE · 6× Canada GPE · 5× Hoekstra PERSON · 4× U.S. GPE · 4× Canadians NORP · 3× Pete Hoekstra PERSON · 2× Trump PERSON · 2× American NORP · 1× Newfoundland GPE · 1× the United States GPE · 1×

Narrative

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.”
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 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.

Claims (21 extracted, 0 hedged)

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. asserted
that → set → attendance
“We understand why people feel strongly about this,” said a statement from the town released Friday afternoon. asserted
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. asserted
Canadians → understand → Canada
As the terrorist attacks were unfolding on Sept. 11, 2001, 38 planes carrying thousands of passengers were diverted to Gander. asserted
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. asserted
many → step → whom
They formed lifelong bonds and connections that are emotionally depicted in the immensely popular Broadway musical Come From Away. asserted
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. asserted
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. asserted
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. asserted
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. asserted
annexing → face → Carney
A House of Commons petition signed by more than 260,000 Canadians calling for his removal remains active. asserted
petition → sign → removal
Mr. Hoekstra’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. asserted
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. asserted
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. asserted
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. asserted
Farwell → trigger → statement
“There is a certain delicacy to the timing this year,” he said, referring to Mr. Trump’s trade war. asserted
he → be → war
“This story does transcend that.” asserted
story → transcend → that
“Administrations come and go and ambassadors come and go but at the end of the day we have a lasting relationship.” asserted
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.” asserted
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. asserted
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.” asserted
Newfoundlanders → re → Hoekstra
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support