Daughters, sisters, wives, friends

NEWS RELEASES

OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

TONY MARTIN, MP

************************* Statement by the prime minister on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women

OTTAWA, ON - Prime Minister Stephen Harper [Sunday] issued the following statement to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women on December 6:

“On December 6, 1989, the lives of 14 young women were cut short in one of the most heinous acts of violence in Canadian history.

They were daughters, sisters, wives and friends whose lives were full of promise and hope, horrifically taken by a gunman at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal.

That these women were gunned down for no other reason than their gender is as incomprehensible now as it was in 1989.

While we cannot, and probably never will, be able to make sense of the events of that day, we can work to ensure that it never happens again.

Today, let us remember 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.

And let us pay tribute to their memory in the best way that we can: by working to eliminate violence against women while making our communities safer for all Canadians.”

************************* National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Martin attends Women in Crisis Algoma Memorial SAULT STE. MARIE - Today Sault MP Tony Martin joins other area residents remembering the December 6 Montreal massacre that claimed so many lives.

Martin will be at the 6 p.m. Sault College memorial organized by Women in Crisis Algoma. New Democrat Leader Jack Layton released the following statement on this special date. “New Democrats join all Canadians in mourning the loss of 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 - victims of the tragic 1989 École Polytechnique Massacre. We also remember all the women across Canada and around the world, who have died simply because they were women. As we remember, we must turn to action and provide leadership in ending violence against women.

New Democrats have long lead the way in combating violence against women, whether it is raising spousal abuse in the House of Commons for the first time (Margaret Mitchell, 1982); co-founding the White Ribbon Campaign (Jack Layton, 1991); or creating the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Dawn Black, 1991).

Unfortunately, women still face alarming rates of violence and we must all work together to ensure women live in safe communities away from violence or the threat of violence.

We must all work together on addressing the gender inequalities that are at the heart of all gender-based violence. Aboriginal women in Canada face staggering rates of violence which is aggravated by extreme poverty and discrimination.

The federal government needs to work in tandem with aboriginal organizations on the ground to develop pro-active preventative strategies that include addressing poverty, homelessness, education, and the cyclical nature of violence, and work to support the victims and their families. While we mourn, let us turn to action and work together to eliminate all forms of violence against women.”

*************************