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Sisters and Brothers,
For every generation, there are historic flashpoints: those moments in time when everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing. For our generation, December 6, 1989 was one of those moments.
It was on this day that an angry young man walked into l’École Polytechnique de Montréal and massacred 14 young women. Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonie Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte, Barbara Klucznik-Widajewics and our CUPE sister, 25-year-old Maryse Lagagnière, died because they were women, because of the hatred of a man.
Women should not die for being women. Women should not be beaten, assaulted, raped or abused, at home, at school, in their workplaces or anywhere else.
Today is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, a day to not only commemorate one tragic event, but to reflect on all violence against women and the attitudes behind the acts of violence that take place every day.
This year, the Day of Remembrance is especially significant. It is the first since the death of brother Jack Layton, a prominent co-founder of the White Ribbon Campaign. The White Ribbon website (http://www.whiteribbon.ca/) has 16 ways that men and boys can make a difference.
Second, this year the federal Conservative government is dismantling the long-gun registry, a registry whose creation was driven by the same violent act that we remember on this day. The women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal were killed with a semi-automatic rifle. Not only are the Conservatives ending the registry, they are committed to destroying the useful information contained in the registry. This is information that police have stated clearly could save lives.
The long gun registry is just one vote away from destruction. We urge you to write a letter to your MP and tell them why they must vote to save it. Visit www.cupe.on.ca for links to more information.
Together, we can turn violence against women into history.
Sincerely,
Fred Hahn Candace Rennick
President Secretary Treasurer
