Office of the Premier
Premier David Eby has issued the following statement marking the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women:
“On the evening of Dec. 6, 1989, 14 young women were murdered at L’École Polytechnique in Montreal.
“Geneviève Bergeron. Hélène Colgan. Nathalie Croteau. Barbara Daigneault. Anne-Marie Edward. Maud Haviernick. Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz. Maryse Laganière. Maryse Leclair. Anne-Marie Lemay. Sonia Pelletier. Michèle Richard. Annie St-Arneault. Annie Turcotte.
“Today, we remember them. We mourn with the families and friends who were left behind and we continue to stand with the survivors who were left injured in this senseless attack.
“We must never forget their names, or the horror we felt as the news of the Montreal massacre reverberated across the country that night. And we must never forget that it was misogyny and hatred that fuelled this deplorable act of violence.
“Violence against women remains a terrible constant in this country. At least one woman or girl is killed violently every two days on average in Canada, according to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability.
“Our government is committed to ending this violence. We are taking action to increase safety and supports for survivors, strengthen and expand programs that address violence against women, and end the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
“Everyone has the right to live without the threat of harm. We must all recommit ourselves to ending gender-based violence in all its forms, and work together to make B.C. communities safer for everyone.”
Jennifer Blatherwick, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, said:
“Today we remember 14 young lives cut short.
“We grieve with their families, friends and all those who hold this day in their hearts. We mourn the lives unlived – never to finish school, grow into their futures and change the world with their talents and ambitions.
“We condemn every single act of gender-based violence and we vow to continue our work to end it.”
