Acknowledgment ...
The authors would like to acknowledge with deep appreciation the openness and willingness of the interviewees and other contributors to this book. In many cases this involved opening up old wounds, but we hope the result will be deeper healing.
About the People Profiled in the Book ....
We approached individuals from across the country and asked them to share their stories, feelings and memories surrounding the events of September 11th, 2001. In a sense, they have spoken out and told their stories as a proxy for those who can speak no longer.
The following profiles will introduce you to each of those individuals.
Chapter Two - John Manley, PC, MP: A Politician
John Manley was the Member of Canada's Parliament for Ottawa South since being first elected in 1988. On September 11th, 2001, he was Canada's Foreign Minister. On September 12th, he began to Chair a Special Cabinet Committee on Security and Anti-Terrorism. He then served as Deputy Prime Minister and has subsequently stepped down from elected service. Mr. Manley was Time Magazine's Canadian "Newsmaker of the Year" in 2001, the year we are remembering. In this candid interview John shares with us where he was when he found out and how our government responded in those first few hours of crisis.
Chapter Three - John Leontowicz: A Police Chief
John Leontowicz is the Chief of Police in LaSalle, an Ontario municipality adjacent to Windsor and just across the Detroit River from Detroit, Michigan. John has served in policing for over 25 years, including a significant span with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Chapter Four - Sharon Martin: A Teacher
Sharon Martin is an elementary school teacher in Warburg, Alberta. She teaches a Grade 4 class, is a wife and a mother of two. The Warburg community helped Sharon celebrate her son's 7th birthday on April 4th, 2002.
Chapter Five - Mike Woodard: A Father
Mike Woodard is a father of four who lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia. His work with youth and ministry co-ordination takes Mike to university and college campuses across Canada as well as in developing countries throughout Asia and Latin America.
Chapter Six - Thoughts from Some of Canada's Children
Poetry submissions were received from grade school students from across Canada. This selection of these heart touching offerings both in this chapter and found throughout the book are representative of the youth of our Nation. Their thoughts are as the thoughts of the adults we interviewed - they are just a little more direct!
Chapter Seven - Bud Purves: A Tower Executive
Bud Purves is the President of the CN Tower, "Canada's Wonder of the World." He is responsible for overseeing the tower's operation, balancing its entertainment aspect with security. Bud is also a pilot, keeping a plane nearby the CN Tower.
Chapter Eight - Caroline Danis: A Student
Caroline Danis has a degree in journalism and is from Gatineau, Quebec. She also works in our Nation's capital in the Parliament buildings. Representing the next generation of leaders and communicators in this country, Caroline's story of moving from disbelief to fear to hope is bound to inspire you!
Chapter Nine- Gordon MacLeod: A Minister
Reverend Gordon MacLeod is a Minister at Lewisville Baptist Church in Moncton, New Brunswick. As flights were diverted to many locations on the Canadian east coast, Moncton included, churches from every denomination rose to the occasion. They took complete strangers into their homes for meals, lodging and some much needed TLC. Hear how one such church responded and how this minister taught his congregation about true security.
Chapter Ten - Roger Clarkson: A Friend
Roger Clarkson is an executive with SpencerStuart, a global search firm, in Toronto. His best friend since childhood was one of the Canadians who lost his life in New York. Roger candidly and openly talks about his friend and the deep loss he has had to come to grips with, how he understands that it could have been any of us, and his own sense of responsibility as a survivor to leave a legacy in the wake of 9/11.
Chapter Eleven - Dr. Arlette Lefebvre: A Doctor
Dr. Arlette Lefebvre is a Child Psychiatrist on staff at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto (Faculty of Medicine), her medical school "alma mater". Affectionately known to her patients and their families as "Dr.Froggie", Arlette was the architect of the HSC Humour Library, founder of the first Canadian fund for children with AIDS and is actively involved in a broad range of community activities. In 1999, Dr. Lefebvre co-authored the book "Taking Your Kids On-line: How and When to Introduce Children to the Internet", and became a member of the Order of Canada.
Chapter Twelve - Professor Mohamed Bayoumi: A Muslim
Mohamed Bayoumi is Professor Emeritus at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. While retired from full-time teaching, Professor Bayoumi stays active by teaching courses at Queen's and the Royal Military College, by serving as Vice-Chair of Patient Care and Quality Control on the board of the Kingston General Hospital ("KGH"), and serving in leadership at Kingston's Islamic Centre.
Chapter Thirteen - Ben Addley - An Emergency Services Worker
Ben Addley is Operations Manager for Peel Region Ambulance Services where he is responsible for, among other things, staffing, hospital issues and scene control. The Peel Region encompasses Canada's busiest airport, Lester B. Pearson International in Toronto. Ben's story gives us confidence in the men and women whom we count on to be there should such a traumatic event ever happen here in Canada. Within minutes of the planes hitting the Twin Towers a full scale response was well in motion in Peel Region as they prepared for any eventuality.
Chapter Fourteen - Lt. Commander M.A. Morris: A Member of the Armed Forces
Lieutenant-Commander MA Morris is the Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Division, HMCS Cabot stationed with the Canadian Armed Forces at St. John's, Newfoundland. "Ready, aye, ready" is their motto and describes their attitude of heart and spirit.
Chapter Fifteen - Peter Dey: An Executive
Peter Dey is best known as Canada's leading champion of excellence in corporate governance. He chaired the original 1994 Toronto Stock Exchange Committee that introduced Canada's Corporate Governance Guidelines in its hard-hitting and ground-breaking report "Where Were The Directors?" Peter was formerly the Chairman and Managing Director of Morgan Stanley Canada, and a member of the board of directors of its Manhattan-based parent, Morgan Stanley. Recently, Peter rejoined his law firm Osler, Hoskins & Harcourt as partner.
Chapter Sixteen - Ann Lorenzen: A Mother
Ann Lorenzen is the mother of three¾a 23 year old daughter, a 17 year old son and a 9 year old daughter¾each of whom was impacted significantly but differently by the September 11th attacks. Ann is a Regina regulator and accountant who works to ensure the safety of credit union depositors' funds in Saskatchewan.
Chapter Seventeen - Captain John MacNeil - A Firefighter
No community was affected as deeply by September 11th as the firefighters. Every firehouse was affected, not just those in New York City. John MacNeil is a Fire Captain at the 15th Station of the Halifax Fire Department
Chapter Eighteen - Rita MacNeil: A Singer Song-Writer
Rita MacNeil is a singer songwriter well known to most Canadians. Rita shares with us the source of her strength and her poetic wisdom on hope, love and her dreams for future generations.
Chapter Nineteen - Bob Chester: A Pilot
Bob Chester has been flying for 18 years, including the last 5 for Air Canada. As with all of our interviews, these views are Bob's personally, and not those of his employer or anyone else. Based out of Toronto, Bob makes his home outside Ottawa.
Chapter Twenty - Eric Reguly - Journalist
Eric is a business columnist for the Globe and Mail. He and his wife were particularly touched and affected by the horrific events of September 11th. On October 22nd, 1994 Father Mychal Judge, the chaplain of the New York Fire Department, married Eric and his wife. On September 11th, 2001, New York City named Father Judge "Victim Number One".
Chapter Twenty One - Alderman Gord Lowe: A City Planner
Gord Lowe is Alderman for Ward 2 of the City of Calgary, and serves on the Calgary Planning Commission. Prior to his election to civic office, Gord held senior positions in Canada's air traffic control system.
Chapter Twenty Two - Todd Weiss - A Red Cross Worker
Todd Weiss is a firefighter in Edmonton, a health services technician, who served as a disaster relief volunteer at Ground Zero in New York City for the Red Cross.
Chapter Twenty Three - More Thoughts from Some of Canada's Children
Submissions of written reflections were received from grade school students from across Canada. They are vivid illustrations of how our children deal with September 11th.
Chapter Twenty Four - Debra Brown: A Traveler
Debra Brown is President of Brown Governance Inc., and is a governance consultant, a frequent speaker at major conferences and seminars and contributor to journals and publications. In addition to her work with BGI, Debra currently serves on two multinational boards. Her work calls on her to travel away from home a great deal, as was the case on September 11th.