“Twenty years ago, the world changed forever with an unspeakable act of evil committed by terrorists against the United States of America. On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 terrorists murdered 2,977 people, including 24 Canadians, in what remains the deadliest terrorist attack in human history.

“On that day, Canadians stood with our American friends and stepped up in their hour of need. In the days that followed, Canadians opened their hearts and their homes not only to Americans but to those from around the world who took refuge on our soil. And when it was discovered that this heinous attack was committed by al-Qaida, Canadians put their lives on the line to fight the war on terror.

“Twenty years later, our resolve is unshaken and our bond of friendship with our allies remains strong as we face a world that continues to present new challenges and dangers to free and peaceful nations. We recommit ourselves to support one another and to ensure a tragedy of this magnitude never happens again.

“But we will never forget where we were on 9/11. We will never forget the image of those towers falling and the wreckage and twisted metal that was left. Nor will we forget the heroism of the police, firefighters and first responders who put everything on the line to save lives, including 441 who paid the ultimate sacrifice.”