On the eve of the 35th anniversary of the Polytechnique massacre in Montreal — an anti-feminist attack from a gunman that killed 14 women because they were women — survivor Nathalie Provost says she’s especially feeling the emotions this year.
Montrealers remember 14 women killed by gunman 35 years ago at Polytechnique
By Gareth Madoc-Jones, Posted December 6, 2024
To remember the 14 women who were killed 35 years ago today in an anti-feminist mass shooting at École Polytechnique in Montreal, a ceremony in a park dedicated to the victims — not far from where the tragedy took place — was hosted by the Quebec Women’s Federation also known as the FFQ. (…)
At the ceremony, the names of each victim were read including Annie St-Arneault. Her brother Serge spoke at the event. “She was a fantastic woman. She was extremely intelligent. She was tremendously intelligent and so close to each one of us, so committed. It is a tremendous loss,” said St-Arneault. (…)
White roses were also placed on the memorial plaques of each of the 14 women killed 35 years ago. To mourn their loss, December 6th is also the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women informally known as White Ribbon Day.
“All those women were also part of a social network committed to the lives of the community. And what we lost is more than just a few women, it’s all what they could have done for the society as a whole,” said St-Arneault.
15 light beams illuminate the sky during annual ceremony for women killed at Polytechnique
By Erin Seize & Corinne Boyer, Posted December 6, 2024 10:23 pm.
Fifteen beams of light lit up the Montreal sky from Mount Royal Friday night in memory of the 14 women murdered at Polytechnique on Dec. 6th 1989 and for all the women killed in femicides.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with Quebec Premier François Legault and Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante attended the emotional ceremony, where they each took their turn to lay white roses in honour of the women who lost their lives in the act of violence committed by gunman Marc Lépine all those years ago.
According to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability (CFOJA), 170 women have already been victims of femicide in Canada this year, with four having died this month alone.
Though, for some in attendance, this year’s efforts to bring femicides to light has in fact been apparent.
“This year what I see is that we try to emphasize the fact that so many more women are being killed every year,” said Serge St-Arneault, brother of Annie St-Arneault, one of the 14 women who were killed at Polytechnique.
“This year has been more solemn compared with what I saw last year,” he said while describing the new addition of the choir following a moment of silence which left many in tears, including Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante.
“I’m here in solidarity with my friends from Polytechnique and in memory of these 14 young women who lost their lives because of someone who doesn’t like women and who did what he did, ” said Boufeldja Benabdallah, co-founder of the Quebec City Islamic Cultural centre.
Related:
- ‘Duty to learn’: Vigils mark 35th anniversary of Polytechnique anti-feminist killings
- Photo exhibit remembers victims of Polytechnique massacre
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Espace perso de Serge 