Four U.S. Presidents Attend NYC Event; President Trump Spoke at Ceremony at the Pentagon, Also Struck by a Hijacked Airliner

Americans and others around the world honored the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. today, on the 25th anniversary of the tragic event. One-third of Americans were not yet born on the day of the attack.

The national day of mourning included ceremonies at Ground Zero in New York City as well as at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and a field in Shanksville, Pa, where one of the hijacked jets crashed after passengers fought to take back the plane from terrorists.

In New York City, all living former presidents — George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden — and former first ladies attended the ceremony at Ground Zero. Vice President JD Vance and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, joined them at Ground Zero.

As it has been during every 9/11 ceremony, the victims’ names were read.

This year’s ceremony also included a moment of silence for those who have died of illnesses in the aftermath of the attacks.

President Donald Trump attended a ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., spoke about the human sacrifices on Sept. 11 and tried to draw a connection with his illegal war with Iran.

Trump refused to attend the New York City ceremony because he was not allowed to give a speech, according to media reports.

During a midterm GOP convention earlier in the week, Trump gave a fanciful account of being at the scene of the tragedy and being rescued by fire fighters. The story was widely derided as an insult to the real survivors.

The attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon was part of a broad attack perpetrated by more than a dozen terrorists organized by Osama Bin Laden, who was killed by U.S. Navy Seals in May 2011 at his redoubt in Pakistan.

During the terror attack, two hijacked planes zeroed in on the Twin Towers in New York City, long a hated symbol of Islamic extremists. Each tower was hit causing a huge explosion and fire. The buildings collapsed killing more then 2,700 people.

It was the largest single attack and loss of life on American soil since World War II, second only to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

The ceremonies were solemn. They were held at memorial plaza and a corner nearby in New York; The two ceremonies reflect a divide over how to observe the anniversary in a time of social distancing.

Relatives of 9/11 victims read the names of those who died on a stage at Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan.

The nation has since vanquished Islamic extremists and has suffered no major terror attacks since then.

Too many men have learned to hide exhaustion, loneliness and emotional pain behind the words “I’m fine.” Real strength begins when we are willing to tell the truth.

By Richard Oostra | The Current

Ask a man how he is doing and there is a good chance you will receive one of three answers:

“Good.”

“Busy.”

“Can’t complain.”

Sometimes those answers are true. Sometimes they are simply the quickest way to end the conversation.

Many men have spent their entire lives learning how to provide, protect, compete and persevere. We are taught to solve problems, carry responsibility and keep moving forward. Those can be admirable qualities. Families, workplaces and communities depend on men who are dependable and resilient.

But resilience is not the same as silence.

A man can appear successful while privately feeling exhausted, disconnected or overwhelmed. He may continue going to work, paying the bills and fulfilling his responsibilities while gradually losing his motivation, relationships and sense of purpose.

The warning signs are not always obvious. Struggle does not necessarily look like sadness. In men, it can appear as anger, irritability, overworking, increased drinking, reckless behaviour, poor sleep or withdrawing from the people who care about them.

The Canadian Mental Health Association advises families and friends to pay attention when a man becomes unusually distant, tired, angry or uninterested in activities he normally enjoys. These changes can be signs that something deeper is happening.

This is not a small issue. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, men account for nearly three-quarters of suicide deaths in this country, and the suicide rate among men is almost three times the rate among women.

Those numbers should force us to reconsider what we call strength.

The Pressure to Appear Fine

Many men were raised to believe that admitting pain creates a burden for others. They tell themselves that someone else has it worse, that they should be grateful or that they simply need to toughen up.

As a result, they wait.

They wait until stress becomes burnout. They wait until loneliness becomes isolation. They wait until frustration damages a marriage, a friendship or a relationship with their children. They wait until a manageable health concern becomes a crisis.

We would never tell a man with chest pain to hide it because other people have heart problems. We would tell him to get help. Mental and emotional pain deserve the same seriousness.

Asking for help is not surrender. It is taking responsibility before the damage spreads.

Busyness Can Hide Loneliness

Men can be surrounded by people and still feel profoundly alone.

Work meetings, social media contacts and casual conversations are not always genuine connections. A man may speak with dozens of people during the day without having one conversation in which he feels safe enough to be honest.

Statistics Canada has found that frequent loneliness is associated with poorer mental health and lower overall life satisfaction. Recent Canadian mental-health reporting also suggests that many men lack strong social-support networks and have never sought professional mental-health assistance.

Loneliness is not a personal failure. But ignoring it will not make it disappear.

Friendship requires effort, especially as we get older. Careers become demanding. Families require attention. People move away. Old friendships fade because neither person wants to be the first to admit that the relationship matters.

The solution does not have to begin with a dramatic emotional conversation. It can begin with a phone call, a coffee, a walk or an invitation to do something together.

Connection is built through repetition. We have to show up.

Start With What You Can Control

Mental health is complex, and practical habits are not replacements for professional care. However, our daily choices can strengthen the foundation on which better health is built.

Start with the basics.

Move your body every day. You do not need an expensive gym membership or a complicated program. Walk, lift weights, cycle, swim, work in the yard or play a sport. Exercise can provide structure, improve physical health and create opportunities for connection.

Protect your sleep. Constant exhaustion affects patience, judgment and emotional control. Staying up late scrolling through a phone is not recovery.

Pay attention to alcohol. A drink may temporarily dull stress, but it does not resolve what is causing it. If drinking is becoming the main way you relax, sleep, socialize or avoid difficult feelings, it is time for an honest assessment.

Create some quiet. Many of us fill every spare moment with news, entertainment, work or social media because silence gives uncomfortable thoughts room to surface. Those thoughts may be telling us something we need to address.

Most importantly, speak to someone. That person might be a spouse, trusted friend, doctor, counsellor, coach, faith leader or family member. You do not need a perfect explanation. You can simply say, “I haven’t been myself lately, and I think I need to talk.”

That sentence can change the direction of a life.

Check on the Men Around You

We also have a responsibility to notice one another.

If a friend has disappeared from the usual gatherings, call him. If a co-worker seems unusually angry or withdrawn, ask him privately if something is going on. If your father, brother, son or neighbour keeps insisting that everything is fine while his behaviour says otherwise, ask again.

Do not settle for “How are you?”

Try something more specific:

“You haven’t seemed like yourself lately. What’s happening?”

“I’ve noticed you’ve been pulling away. Are you doing okay?”

“You don’t have to handle this by yourself. How can I help?”

Then listen. Do not immediately lecture, diagnose or attempt to fix everything. Give the person room to speak without making him regret being honest.

A Better Definition of Strength

Real strength is not pretending that nothing hurts.

Strength is recognizing when something is wrong and taking action. It is having the courage to make the appointment, answer the phone, repair the relationship or admit that the weight has become too heavy to carry alone.

We need men who are strong enough to provide and protect. But we also need men who are emotionally present, connected to their families, involved in their communities and willing to care for their own health.

No man becomes weaker by asking for help.

He becomes more capable of showing up for the people and responsibilities that matter most.

If you are struggling, say something today. If you are worried about someone, reach out today. Do not wait for the perfect moment or the perfect words.

Start the conversation.

It may be the strongest thing either of you does.

Richard Oostra is a high-performance coach who writes about physical and mental health, discipline, resilience, relationships, purpose and building stronger communities. https://richardoostra.com/

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 anywhere in Canada. If there is immediate danger, call 9-1-1.

Richard Oostra examines men’s mental health, loneliness and the pressure to appear strong—and offers practical ways to reconnect and seek help.

Supporting health information: Public Health Agency of Canada suicide statistics, Health Canada on men’s health, and Canadian Mental Health Association guidance.

Refinery Closures and Global Conflicts Strain Canadian Fuel Supplies

A temporary shutdown at Canada’s largest refinery, the Irving Refinery in New Brunswick, is compounding an already tight diesel supply. Scheduled maintenance will keep the plant offline until November, limiting domestic production at a time when global energy markets face severe pressure.

Geopolitical tensions are playing a primary role in pushing prices higher. Ongoing conflicts involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran, alongside Houthi threats to shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz, continue to disrupt crude markets. In addition, Russian export bans following Ukrainian attacks on domestic oil refineries, combined with Persian Gulf diesel exports dropping to just over a quarter of pre-war levels as of August, have created acute supply shortages worldwide.

Tax Relief Extended as Diesel Hits Record Highs

In response to rising energy expenses, the federal government extended the temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax through January 2027. The measure includes a four-cent-per-litre reduction on diesel, which was previously set to expire on Sept. 7.

Despite the extension, diesel prices averaged $2.62 per litre across Canada as of Saturday, up from $2.52 the previous week and significantly higher than last year’s levels. In Vancouver, prices reached $2.92 per litre, while U.S. average prices surpassed $6 US per gallon. Although Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem noted that proposed tariffs are not expected to deeply impact overall national economic activity, he cautioned that prolonged energy price spikes risk turning into broader inflation.

Surging Transport Costs Threaten Food Prices

Because commercial transport trucks rely heavily on diesel, consuming hundreds of litres every week, rising fuel costs directly affect the supply chain. Tej Dulat of the Canadian Truck Operators Association warned that while companies usually absorb brief spikes, narrow profit margins since 2022 mean these expenses must ultimately be passed on to shoppers.

Evan Fraser from the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute noted that elevated fuel prices impact shipping, storing, and producing food. Paired with extreme weather affecting harvests, experts warn that consumers could face sustained upward pressure on food prices through the winter and beyond.