Braving a biting winter wind, dignitaries gathered in front of Polytechnique Montr茅al91裸聊视频檚 main campus on Friday to pay tribute to the 14 women killed at the engineering school in an anti-feminist attack 35 years ago.
Among those silently laying white flowers at the foot of a commemorative plaque was Louis Courville, who was the interim director of the school in 1989.
91裸聊视频淚 am glad that there are many people who did not forget what has happened,91裸聊视频� Courville, 90, said afterwards. 91裸聊视频淎t the same time, it91裸聊视频檚 the memory of a very sad, horrible thing.91裸聊视频�
The women murdered in 1989 were Genevi猫ve Bergeron, H茅l猫ne Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Lagani猫re, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Mich猫le Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.
Thirteen others were injured in the attack perpetrated by Marc L茅pine, who took his own life. He had ranted about feminists ruining his life.
Courville was in his office when the shooting began and all he could hear was a rain of bullets. He assumed an armed group had besieged the school. 91裸聊视频淚 couldn91裸聊视频檛 think that it was only one person. I tried to figure out, what are they going to ask of me? Am I going to have to negotiate something?91裸聊视频� he recalled.
91裸聊视频淏ut Marc L茅pine wasn91裸聊视频檛 coming to negotiate,91裸聊视频� Courville added. In the days and weeks that followed, he and his wife Jeanne Dauphinais would travel across the province to meet with families of the victims.
Polytechnique Montr茅al president Maud Cohen said Friday there91裸聊视频檚 a duty to learn from what happened. 91裸聊视频淲e need to remember these young ladies that lost their lives: there were 13 students, one employee,91裸聊视频� Cohen told reporters.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 about making sure everybody can have a path forward,91裸聊视频� she added. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 about making sure that everyone, women specifically on Dec. 6, can feel welcome, they can feel like they can blossom and they can really enjoy a place where they can fulfil their dreams.91裸聊视频�
Mathieu Thibault, a fourth-year civil engineering student at Polytechnique, had the tragedy of Dec. 6 imparted on him at a young age. His mother was at the school the night of the shooting and left with everyone rushing out of the building. Both his parents graduated from the school.
Thibault grew up hearing about double standards and sexism on the job, and upon admission to university, he joined a group advocating for more women in the engineering profession.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a heavy moment, you know, it91裸聊视频檚 time to reflect on how we act: where are we in society?91裸聊视频� Thibault said. 91裸聊视频淎nd this year in particular, I feel like because it91裸聊视频檚 the 35th, but it91裸聊视频檚 also a year where we91裸聊视频檝e seen a certain rise of toxic masculinity.91裸聊视频�
Cohen said she is worried that incursions on women91裸聊视频檚 rights in the United States could seep into Canada.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 wondering if the rights that I have right now are going to be the same that the next generation of women are going to have,91裸聊视频� Cohen said. 91裸聊视频淚 think we all have a responsibility, not just us women, but also the men around us to make sure this doesn91裸聊视频檛 happen to any groups, specifically women.91裸聊视频�
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement Friday describing the 14 women killed as 91裸聊视频渢alented students, beloved daughters and sisters, and Canada91裸聊视频檚 future. Their lives were tragically cut short simply because they were women.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淎s we remember the victims of this hateful, cowardly act, we are also reminded that, for many women, girls, and gender-diverse people, the violent misogyny that led to this tragedy still exists,91裸聊视频� Trudeau added.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recalled on the anniversary that 91裸聊视频渢his brutality is remembered as one of the worst attacks on women and on the values that unite us.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淐anada91裸聊视频檚 promise is one of guaranteed freedom, safety and opportunity for all, regardless of gender or origin,91裸聊视频� Polievre said in a statement. 91裸聊视频淎ny form of violence against women is totally unacceptable.91裸聊视频�
At 5:10 p.m. on Friday, the exact time the first shots were fired, 14 beams of light are set to illuminate the sky above Mount Royal, lit one at a time as the names of the 14 victims are read out. For the first time this year, a 15th beam will be added in memory of all victims of femicide.
Families of victims will be present for the ceremony along with Trudeau, Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault and Montreal Mayor Val茅rie Plante.
Vigils and other events are scheduled in Montreal and across the country to mark the anniversary.
91裸聊视频淭hirty-five years later, we still have to reiterate that women have the right to live without fear, to follow their aspirations and to achieve their dreams,91裸聊视频� Plante said in a statement Friday. 91裸聊视频淓very step towards equality benefits society as a whole.91裸聊视频�
