Today marks one of the darkest days in recent Canadian history.
Thirty years ago on this day in 1989, 14 women – studying to become engineers – were gunned down at l’Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, chosen for their gender.
Gunman Marc Lépine described his attack as a fight against feminism.
Two years later, the Canadian government declared the anniversary of the massacre the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
Memorial University will mark the occasion with a vigil at MUN’s Engineering Building starting this evening at 6:00. Officials from government, the university and other community leaders will be on hand for this evening’s vigil.
The event will be followed by a purple tree lighting in the lobby of the Engineering Building.
Laura Winter of the St. John’s Status of Women Council spoke about the significance of the day and progress made over the last thirty years with VOCM’s Andrew Hawthorn: