Canadians unveil memorial plaque for terror victims

OTTAWA -- Hundreds of family members and friends of the Canadians who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks gathered Sunday at a cemetery in Ottawa to unveil a memorial dedicated to their lost loved ones.

The plaque, a 25-inch-wide bronze rectangle fixed to a large limestone boulder, is in Beechwood Cemetery, home of Canada's national military cemetery.

It bears the names of the 23 Canadians killed in the attacks and the names of three other victims with close Canadian ties.

Wiping away tears and carrying white roses, small groups of friends and family members placed flowers and small tokens in a large wooden box in front of the memorial.

Friends and relatives of the attacks victims have asked for a federal government funded memorial, but their hopes were dashed when Prime Minister Jean Chretien declared he saw no reason for a special memorial.

The relatives said they plan to launch a Web site soon, to gather support for a separate memorial by the federal government.