Newfoundland welcomed them after 9/11. They’re heartbroken by Trump’s trade war

Every September, Sue Riccardelli and her wife Maureen Murray proudly wave a flag combining Canada's maple leaf with America's stars and stripes on their New Jersey home. This symbolizes the gratitude they hold for the people of central Newfoundland who cared for them and over 6,500 passengers aboard 38 grounded planes in Gander, Newfoundland in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

As Canada and the United States have experienced strained relations, the couple began bringing the flag to "Come From Away" performances, a musical about the stranded passengers and the Gander residents who offered them food, clothing, shelter, and friendship. The 25th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, and the couple is scheduled to return to Gander next week.

They are deeply troubled by President Trump's trade war and his treatment of Canada, feeling compelled to display the flag and convey a message of love and solidarity. Riccardelli emphasized that Americans should not be associated with Trump or his government, but rather as Americans who cherish Canada. Canada and the United States' relationship began deteriorating last year after Trump threatened annexation and tariffs on Canadian goods.

The tension escalated into a full-blown trade war in recent weeks, when Prime Minister Mark Carney walked out of negotiations and initiated 50% levies on billions of dollars of Canadian exports. As tensions escalate, Kerry Derringer-Cashin, who was on a flight home from Dublin when the World Trade Center was attacked, recalls the kindness shown to the passengers when their plane was the first to land in Gander.

She believes that the message of kindness and unity needs to be remembered and that the current relations issues between Canada and the United States are unwarranted.