Each year, UFV holds a daytime vigil on the Abbotsford campus and co-presents an evening vigil in Chilliwack (in partnership with the Ann Davis Transition Society) in commemoration of the 14 women killed at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal in 1989. Since we cannot gather in person this year, UFV has created a commemorative video, in honour of the women who lost their lives.

Dr. Lin Long (Mechatronics) serves as emcee of the video, which also features students Isabelle St-Martin and Tamanna Bains of UFV WEST (Women in Engineering, Science, and Technlogy). President Joanne MacLean, Professor Awneet Sivia (Teacher Education), and Sharanjit Kaur Sandhra (South Asian Studies Institute) also speak.

December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women in Canada. Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, this day marks the anniversary of the murders in 1989 of 14 young women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal. They died because they were women.

As well as commemorating the 14 young women whose lives ended in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation, December 6 represents an opportunity for each and every one of us to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also an opportunity to consider the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality, and to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence. And finally, it is a day on which communities can consider concrete actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

View the video here.

View images from the 2019 vigil here.