Aside from tariffed goods, sometimes it seems like the main thing crossing the U.S.-Canada border these days is animosity.

Mocking memes and disrespectful threats of annexation flood Donald Trump’s Truth Social account, and both sides have hurled insults that mark the sad degradation of a once flourishing and respectful relationship between neighbours.

While President Trump paints a picture of a purely transactional relationship with Canada, history points to instances where the two nations have helped each other while asking nothing in return.

The grim 25th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people is a notable reminder of a time when Canadians opened their arms, wallets, and homes to aid Americans in a time of crisis for no other reason than it was the right thing to do.

That spirit of altruism was famously embodied by the people of Gander, Newfoundland, who opened their homes to airline passengers who were forced to land there when the U.S. air space was shut down following the horrific attacks.

Gander, a town of about 9,000 people at the time, took in 38 passenger planes carrying more than 6,500 travellers.

Derm Flynn was the mayor of Appleton, 15 minutes west of Gander, at the time. The town absorbed many of the arrivals.

Derm and his wife, Dianne, hosted six stranded Americans in their humble three-bedroom home.

“For us it was natural that we would help out in any way possible with the huge amount of people that were arriving in our area,” Derm told Breakfast Television.

“We accommodated them and they were more than happy to have somewhere to lay their heads and somewhere to get a shower and just sit down and clear their minds for a little while,” Dianne said.

Derm says they still keep in touch with their guests, and one of them — a man from New Jersey — is coming to visit them again this anniversary.

That guest, and the Flynns, were all depicted in the popular musical “Come From Away” by married co-creators Irene Sankoff and David Hein.

Derm called the musical, which was based on the true story of the Newfoundlanders who hosted thousands of travellers “a story of kindness and respect.”

“It was a great honour to be depicted that way and the musical has told our story so well.”

“We just did what most Newfoundlanders would do in any circumstance when you are called on to take part in an effort that involves our fellow man, our nieghbours, our friends, we respond to it.”


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David Collenette was Canada’s transportation minister at the time of the terror attacks, and had to ultimately make a fast decision about allowing the planes to land before Canada shut down its own airspace.

Speaking to the Canadian Press ahead of a 9/11 commemoration ceremony at Gander International Airport on Friday, Collenette said he’s still moved by how Canadians rallied to help.

“Nobody at the time said, ‘Look, we got all these people, it’s gonna cost a lot of money,’” he said. “That’s what the remarkable thing was. People … opened their homes. They opened their fridges. They cooked. They donated.”

“We’re there for a solemn reason, but we’re also there to celebrate the goodwill of Canadians,” Collenette said of the ceremony at Gander Airport. “It just showed that Canadians could all come together.”

Jean Chretien, who was Prime Minister at the time, spoke to an estimated crowd of 80,000 people who gathered at Parliament Hill for a national day of mourning three days after 9/11.

Twenty-four Canadians died in the attacks, and Chretien said Canada and the U.S. were linked in sorrow, and camaraderie.

”By their outpouring of concern, sympathy and help, the feelings and actions of Canadians have been clear,” Chretien told the sea of mourners. “And even as we grieve our own losses, the message they send to the American people is equally clear. Do not despair. You are not alone. We are with you. The whole world is with you.”

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American diplomat Baxter Hunt told the Canadian Press earlier this month that he was moved by how Canadians across the country united to support their southern siblings.

“Just an incredible showing of compassion by those people for complete strangers, who needed them at that time,” Hunt said of the situation in Gander. “There were also many, many stranded passengers who went to other locations around Canada, about 33,000, I understand,” he added.

“It’s great to remember that as we approach the 25th anniversary, and be grateful that we have that close, close relationship.”

Americans are ‘our friends’

Derm Flynn says it’s painful to watch the relationship between Canada and the United States deteriorate, but he says it doesn’t really change anything between the Canadian and American people.

“We see a lot of Americans still, a lot of Americans come to our area … the minute that they come the first thing they start doing is apologizing for how things have gone … they are our friends, they were our friends back then and they will be our friends when all of this is all over and done.

“What happened then, if it happened again today, we would treat those people with the same kind of respect and understanding and share the love that we shared back then.”

With files from The Canadian Press