Statement on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Thirty years ago.
Without anyone reminding me, I always know when December 6th is coming near. I was at the Université de Montréal that night, in 1989, and on my way home I saw police cruisers with lights flashing at all the road entrances to the campus. The next day, I found out the terrible news. I had many friends at École Polytechnique and they all knew at least one of the victims. Immediately, a deep collective sadness gripped everyone that was close to me, and everyone in the city could feel the sadness as well. The sadness was so close and so real you could almost touch it.
Thirty years ago. It may seem like a long period of time, but, really, it wasn’t that long ago. Many things have changed since, but there is still so much more to do. We need better gun control laws. We need pay equity. We need a more equitable and just society, and we need to take action to end gender-based violence.
On December 6th, 1989, 14 women were shot just because they were women.
We must never forget them.
- Sylvain Rheault, URFA President