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Ottawa, Canada Mourn America's Dead

  • Thread starter Thread starter MommaKin
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MommaKin

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Eyes welled up and many sobbed as a lone bagpiper played "Amazing Grace" at a memorial ceremony for the victims of this week's terrorist attack in the United States in the heart of the city's financial district this morning.
It was just three minutes long but it was enough to prompt hundreds of people to gather in the atrium of BCE Place and employees to leave their desks and stand at windows looking down on the solemn gathering.
Many in the crowd clutched small American flags or wore T-shirts with stars and stripes.

The haunting hymn was followed by a moment of silence and then a singing of the American national anthem, led by singer Salome Bey, who has lived in Canada for almost 40 years but is originally from Newark, New Jersey.

She said she hopes the small ceremony helped people deal with their grief.

"What I think most people are having to deal with is the fact that it happened so close to home," she said.

"I know now that this could happen anywhere to anyone."


At Pearson airport there was complete silence as thousands of travellers and staff stood still. Some had tears in their eyes, others looked toward the sky, others embraced each other silently. Two pilots removed their hats and stood at attention.

A maintenance employee pushing a cart through a Terminal 2 corridor was stopped by two travellers and quickly apologized, then stood in silence.

When the last of the bells sounded signifying the end of the moments of silence, the calm disappeared as quickly as it had come.

For Michael Lee, trying to get back to Chicago, the silence was especially poignant.

"My uncle works at Morgan Stanley in that building (the World Trade Center). Thank God he's okay, but a lot of his friends aren't," Lee said.

In Ottawa, 100,000 people, some waving American flags, thronged Parliament Hill today for a ceremony commemorating the victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States.

Tourists, government workers and others packed the vast lawn in front of Parliament for a noon-hour ceremony marking a National Day of Mourning.

Mounties in full dress uniform, firefighters and police stood at attention with the crowd as an Ontario provincial police officer sang the Canadian and U.S. national anthems under bright blue skies.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien, U.S. Ambassador Paul Celucci and Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson looked over the sea of people from a stage surrounded with U.S. and Canadian flags.

Chretien expressed his condolences to the American people for the "atrocity'' committed against them and pledged Canada's support.

"At a time like this, words fail us. We reel before the blunt and terrible reality of the evil we have just witnessed,'' he said.

"We cannot stop the tears of grief. We cannot bring back lost wives and husbands, sons and daughters, American citizens, Canadian citizens, citizens from all over the world. We cannot restore futures that have been cut terribly short.

"By their outpouring of concern, sympathy and help, the feelings and actions of Canadians have been clear.

"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.''

As he spoke the flags of Parliament fluttered at half-mast in a light breeze.

It is the first day of mourning since 1967 when governor general George Vanier died.

Before the ceremony, Chretien, Celucci and Clarkson signed a book of condolences in the Hall of Honour of Parliament.

There was still no firm word Friday on how many Canadians perished in Tuesday's attacks.

Two Canadians were aboard the planes and the Foreign Affairs Department says between 50 and 100 known to have been in New York are unaccounted for. Security remained tight on Parliament Hill and at border points, as well as at airports as travel resumed. There were long lineups and limited flights, and it will likely be days before traffic returns to normal.

Back at BCE Place, general manager James Trak said the memorial service was held in part because of the many Americans that work in that tower office tower and people with colleagues in the United States.

Kelly McColgan, who works for Baker McKenzie law firm in BCE Place, said she is now frightened every time she takes the elevator up the tower to her office

"The image of that airplane flying through that building is just unbelievable. It scares me to death," she said. "How could this have happen?"

Patricia Holbrook, who also works in the building, said she wanted to be at the ceremony to show her support for Canada's neighbours.

"If it happened here you know that the United States would be the first ones here to help."

Radio stations across the country played the U.S. national anthem on the noon hour.

The government of Canada has set up an electronic book of condolence where people can e-mail their messages. More than 1,600 messages have flowed in through thestar.com's online condolence form.

The City of Toronto's condolence book is located on the main floor of Toronto City Hall, will be available for signing until Tuesday, September 18, including this Saturday and Sunday.

There is also a book of remembrance at Queen's Park, which will be presented to the U.S. government in the next few weeks. It can be found in the St. Lawrence lounge in the lobby of 900 Bay St., Mowat Block between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. this weekend.

Several other Internet sites have been set up, where people can send messages, prayers and words of sympathy.

At www.americanmemorials.com is a site where the families of victims can post pictures and stories. An individual memorial page is available for each victim.
The prayer chain site www.waxdog.com/pray/ carries requests for prayers and words of sympathy for the victims of today's attacks and their families.

**This was only in Ottawa, Canada's capital. This does not include other ceremonies that went on throughout the province of Ontario and the rest of Canada.**






:bawling:
 
I was on the highway 403 coming back from a meeting in London when this was going on, between the national anthems, tha ambassadors speech, amazing grace,the moents of silence and the bells toll I could not keep a dry eye.

This act is something that will not be forgotten nor taken lightly once all the perps are taken care of.

I really all hope we all keep a perspective on this and not forget about this tragedy bringing out the best in mankind anytime soon.
 
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