December 6th, 1989 is a day that must be remembered by all. This was the day a gunman entered the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal and murdered 14 students, all women. He systematically separated males from females in the class so that he could target the women, specifically for being women attending the engineering school.
We remember Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colga, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte, and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.
This is a day to remember these women and also a day to stand united in the fight against gender inequalities and gender-based violence.
I encourage everyone to attend vigils in your areas and to take the time to remember those we lost on December 6th. Please also take part in 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence coordinated by the Canadian Women’s Foundation (https://www.canadianwomen.org/16-days-of-activism/).
Education is key to igniting activism. I encourage all our members to educate themselves so we can make change as a unified and strong force.
In Solidarity,
Missy Taylor, PSAC Ontario Council Regional Women’s Committee Representative