Tributes for victims of École Polytechnique shooting on 32nd anniversary

People gathered silently in front of Montreal’s École Polytechnique Monday to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of what’s widely believed to be Canada’s worst mass shooting specifically targeting women.

The shooting took place on Dec. 6, 1989, when a gunman separated men from women students inside the engineering school before opening fire and killing 14 women and injuring others.

On a wet, gloomy morning, representatives of the school and student associations laid white roses in front of a commemorative plaque honouring the 14 lost lives. Clementine Lesec and Gaël Reynal, representatives from one of Polytechnique’s student unions, stood together, reflecting quietly on the tragedy as others placed wreaths.

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Lesec, a 22-year-old master’s student in biomedical engineering research, said that as a woman walking the school’s corridors, her mind often wanders toward the victims. “I am not afraid of what could happen, but I am always thinking about them,” Lesec said. “I am here. I am lucky and I must make the most out of it.”

Sarah Dorner, a professor in the department of civil, geological and mining engineering at Polytechnique, said she vividly remembers the massacre.

“I was in high school when it happened, and I remember Nathalie Provost, a survivor who was shot four times, and I remember her words  Don’t be afraid,” said Dorner, who has taught at Polytechnique since 2007. “It became an inspiration for a lot of women of my generation.”

It’s also a day Provost herself won’t ever forget.

“December 6th, it’s in my heart. I will never forget that day. Never. Commemoration or not, political events or not, I am made of that day,” she said.

Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade was among the small crowd, saying she was there primarily as an alumnus of Polytechnique.

“I don’t have my spokesperson with me today, I just came with flowers like I do every year on Dec. 6, because it’s very emotional,” said Anglade, who graduated in 1996. “To think about their lives, what they could have been and you tell yourself that you have a duty to continue and to fight against violence toward women.”

The women killed in 1989 were 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 and Annie Turcotte.

“They were women with dreams, women with families, women that just wanted to live. They are not just numbers and not just a historical fact,” said Melanie Ederer, president of the Quebec Womens’ Federation.

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A recent spate of femicides in Quebec with an unofficial count putting the number at 18 since January has renewed discussion of the issue, but it also has some advocates lamenting a lack of progress over gun control and in the fight to end violence against women.

Provost feels gun control laws are in a worse state now than they were in 1989, but is optimistic that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will maintain an assault rifle ban and enact his election promise of a mandatory buyback.

“Our need for safety is very important, more important than the privilege to own guns,” she said.

MPs held two moments of silence in the House of Commons Monday to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women that was declared in 1991. The first was requested by Speaker Anthony Rota, at the end of members’ statements, during which MPs from all parties addressed the issue of violence against women.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland later asked all women MPs to stand for a second moment of silence after she answered the day’s first query during question period on the subject. “Violence against women is just unacceptable,” she said.

Trudeau issued a statement condemning the hatred of women that led to the 1989 killings.

“As we remember the victims of this hateful, cowardly act, we are also reminded that, for countless women, girls, and gender diverse people in Canada and around the world, violence is a daily reality,” Trudeau said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended a vigil for victims of the École Polytechnique shooting massacre on Monday evening in Montreal. Tributes in Montreal and Ottawa are marking the 32nd anniversary of what’s widely believed to be Canada’s largest mass shooting specifically targeting women.

A recent spate of femicides in Quebec has renewed discussion of the issue, but also has some advocates lamenting a lack of progress in the fight to end violence against women. The PM said in a statement that the anniversary is a reminder that violence is a “daily reality” for countless women, girls and gender-diverse people in Canada.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole said the tragedy that befell the victims at Polytechnique “must never happen again.”

“We must denounce unacceptable behaviour, teach our children and our loved ones to respect one another, and set an example,” O’Toole said.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in a statement that violence against women has to be eliminated in all its forms. “Women and girls deserve to feel safe in their homes and communities,” he said.

Fourteen beams of light representing the shooting victims were projected into the sky Monday evening from Mount Royal, where Trudeau, Quebec Premier François Legault and Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante were set to be present. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers were asking crowds not to gather.

— With files from the Canadian Press’ Erika Ibrahim, Mia Rabson and Global News’ Dan Spector

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