20 years later: Ottawa commemorates the 9/11 attacks
For the past two decades, Sept. 11 has been a day that weighs heavy on Georgina McLennan.
“You sort of go on with life but on a day like today, it brings it all back. It’s definitely affected our family,” McLennan, a guest of honour at the remembrance ceremony put on by the United States Embassy, said.
Guests and dignitaries from more than half of the 90 countries who lost citizens in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 honoured the lives of the victims on Saturday - like David Barkway, one of 24 Canadians killed, and the son-in-law of Georgina McLennan.
“He was very close to us; he and my daughter had been together for about 13 years and he was like a big brother to my other two daughters and my son,” she recalled.
McLennan and her family were honoured at another ceremony at Beechwood Cemetery, this one also commemorating the first responders.
Across Ottawa, those with ties to the infamous day reflected on a somber anniversary.
“I don’t know what ever drove anyone to do something like that, it was kind of sad,” Yvon Valade said.
Valade was working in New York when the planes struck. He recalls standing at the Brooklyn Bridge watching the devastation, and seeing people fleeing, covered in soot and rubble.
“What was really shocking to me was the people walking were covered in a brownish soot that they were covered in. It was unbelievable,” he said.
Two decades later, Valade still recalls desperately trying to connect with his wife on a day so many were looking for their loved ones.
“She got home on her own, I don’t know how, and we eventually met up at home later that night. It was pretty crazy,” Valade said.
Three days after the attack, on Sept. 14, 2001, Canada held a major ceremony on Parliament Hill in memory of the victims. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien spoke under Canadian and American flags.
Today, those same flags were gifted to the U.S. Embassy.
“The fact that those flags were present then and given to us just really cements the special relationship that we have with Canada; that they would think to do that and memorialize that particular moment,” United States Chargée D’Affairs Arnold Chacon said.
After twenty years, Chacon says those involved are still grieving and processing the pain, a feeling Georgina McLennan knows all too well.
“You know it was hard because we were one family, but it was hard because there were so many,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
What Canadians think of the latest Liberal budget
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it's too late
Christine Roess is a retired consultant. Ezra Bozeman has spent the last 49 years in prison, serving a life sentence for a murder he says he didn’t commit. Against the odds, the two fell in love.