Today at Wellington Heights we recognized the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Also known as White Ribbon Day, December 6th is the somber anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in which an armed student murdered 14 innocent women and injured 14 others in the name of “fighting feminism”. Today, Canadian flags on all federal buildings, and on all UGDSB schools, are flown at half-mast in honour of those victims. Students and staff observed a few moments of silence, as the names of the victims were read on our morning announcements:
Geneviève Bergeron -Hélène Colgan -Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault -Anne-Marie Edward -Maud Haviernick
Barbara Klucznik -Maryse Laganière -Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay -Sonia Pelletier -Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault -Annie Turcotte
This day of remembrance provides people around the world with an opportunity to come together to call out, speak up against, and renew our commitment to end gender-based violence.