On Dec. 6, 1989, a gunman entered L’Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, segregating the female students from the male students and began firing at the female engineering students.
On that day, 14 young women lost their lives to violence. The event has become known as the Montreal Massacre and is symbolic of the fight to end violence against women. In 1991, Canada’s Parliament declared December 6 a National Day of Mourning and the National Day to End Violence Against Women.
Across the country December 6 is being marked by vigils, discussions and other reflections on violence against women. Here in Manitoba, you can join the MGEU’s Women’s Committee for a candlelight vigil, which will be leaving the Union Centre in Winnipeg at 7:30 am and continuing down Broadway to the Legislature where there will be a memorial ceremony at 8 am.
The Manitoba Federation of Labour is also hosting a luncheon at the Union Centre at noon in memory of the slain women and women slain in Manitoba over the past year.