They were 14 young women who entered a career path normally followed by men. They had a successful future ahead of them … but their young lives came to abrupt end.
For 34 years, the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW SouthPort) have held a vigil in remembrance of the 14 young female engineering students who were massacred at L’École Polytechnique du Montréal in 1989.
The vigil, held each December 6th, is an emotional tribute to the young women of L’École Polytechnique, and also to recognize the more than 1200 missing and murdered Indigenous women, to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
In a solemn moment, as each photo of the 14 young students was held high and her name said aloud, a story of her life was told … each a touching story of a future, a future that none would see because of the deranged gunman 25-year-old Marc Lepine, who in a mass shooting, murdered them simply because they were women.
It was also a tribute this year to the two young Indigenous women who disappeared, Maisy Odjick (16), the granddaughter of past Saugeen Chief Vernon Roote, and her friend Shannon Alexander (17). Both were never found.
Past-President Sandi Primeau pointed out that the statistics of intimate partner violence remain staggering. “In Ontario, there have been 52 femicides in the past 44 weeks.”
She went on to thank CFUW member and Town Councillor Cheryl Grace for her work in having Saugeen Shores Council declare Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) as an epidemic.
This year’s vigil event was held indoor at the Saugeen Shores PLEX in Port Elgin because of the inclement winter weather, and more people than ever attended.
Saugeen Shores Police Sgt. Susan Briggs explained how domestic violence and intimate partner violence (IPV) are complex investigations. “They affect the victims, family, friends and the police officers involved. We received $80,000 through a provincially funded community grant, now in its third year, to provide additional training, investigative resources and educational materials such as pamphlets and handouts for organizations such as CFUW. We work in partnership with the Women’s Houses of Grey Bruce, Victim Services and our allies to ensure these funds enhance our investigative efforts.”
Speaker Jessica Daneluk, support worker at the Kabaeshiwim Respite Women’s Shelter at Saugeen First Nation, explained the data that is available when it comes to Indigenous women and girls. “The data is staggering,” said Daneluk. “While Indigenous women and girls represent five per cent of the population in Canada, one in three experience intimate partner violence and are seven times more likely to be a victim of murder. They also represent 23 per cent of women and girls in Canada who experience ‘femicide’ and 38 per cent of those are in rural areas.”
She went on to say that the local area is a tourist destination with transient workers given the nuclear power site. “There is often a disconnect in rural areas from resources and networks. Leaders need to be publicly and privately firm in their stance of zero tolerance of violence against women. There is a great lack of cultural sensitivity in provincial and social institutions.”
Daneluk went on to thank the local Saugeen Shores Police Service for its work when it comes to dealing with domestic violence incidents and for achieving training when it comes to IPV.
She pointed out how, in previous times, the loss of what was a matriarchal society resulted in internal displacement, cultural displacement and an overall overwhelming, overreaching disrespect of the roles of Indigenous women and girls that they played in humanity. “We must return the autonomy to our women for they are the medicine of our communities. At Kabaeshiwim Respite, we work to return the autonomy to every woman who enters our doors.”
Julian Glowacki, a mechanical engineer also explained how he had been in Montreal at the time of the massacre of the young engineering students.
“I was an engineering supervisor at the time and there were very few women going into the field. “I was invited to attend one of the funerals, it was a terrible time.”
Closing the event, the Chantry Singers performed the touching ‘Let there be Peace on Earth’.
All three shelters in Bruce County, the Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey, the Women’s Centre and Kabaeshiwim Women’s Shelter at Saugeen First Nation have not received any government funding increases for six years.
Therefore, the 34th Annual Vigil, as in the past, was also a fundraiser for the local Women’s Shelters. A total has not yet been determined but all funds raised will be divided equally among the shelters.
