PrintUNA remains committed to remembering December 6 and pressing for action to prevent violence against women and girls
It has been 32 years since the vicious act of gender-based violence that took the lives of 14 young women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal on December 6, 1989.
United Nurses of Alberta mourns the 14 engineering students who were murdered and we recommit ourselves to reflecting on the impact of violence against women in our society and eliminating the misogyny that is still common today.
The anniversary of this national tragedy, known as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, represents an opportunity for all Canadians to think about how reporting of violence against women has grown during the pandemic.
This is an important message during a global pandemic when many people do not have access to even the limited resources available in normal times to prevent violence and protect potential victims of gendered violence.
Communities and individuals must speak out. All levels of government must continue to be reminded of their responsibility to take meaningful steps to prevent all forms of violence against women and girls in Canada, including measures to restrict the possession and misuse of firearms.
Working on the front lines of health care, Alberta’s nurses see the impact of violence against women, and sometimes experience it in their own workplaces and homes.
This solemn occasion reminds us to renew our commitment as union members and citizens to seek practical ways to end violence against women and girls in Canadian homes, communities and workplaces.
We remember each of the 14 young women who lost their lives on this day in 1989:
- Geneviève Bergeron
- Hélène Colgan
- Nathalie Croteau
- Barbara Daigneault
- Anne-Marie Edward
- Maud Haviernick
- Maryse Laganière
- Maryse Leclair
- Anne-Marie Lemay
- Sonia Pelletier
- Michèle Richard
- Annie St-Arneault
- Annie Turcotte
- Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz
