Today we pay our respects to 14 women murdered in Montreal on December 6, 1989, only because they were women. And feminists. That day, 25 year-old Marc Lépine entered École Polytechnique engineering school armed a .22 calibre rifle. He separated men from women, murdered the 14 women whom he called “une gange de féministes”.
A year later Parliament established the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
We have work to do.
Canada’s national gun registry was created in response to the Montreal massacre. Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government recently introduced legislation to kill the gun registry. Our activism around December 6 must revolve around supporting the registry.
Not to forget the society we live in. In our homes, workplaces and public spaces, stereotypes, bigotry and violence against women are still the norm. Take one moment and imagine the victim was your mother, sister…
We must take personal responsibility and fight for a future where men and women are equal.
For those of you interested in solidarity, I suggest supporting the White Ribbon Campaign, a collective of men established to end violence against women. They work with men and boys to educate them about their role in promoting gender equality and ending violence against women and girls.
Originally published on the official Occupy Ottawa website
