Today marks the 33rd anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre in which fourteen women were murdered and another 10 women and four men were injured.
The shooting took place on Dec. 6, 1989, when a man opened fire inside the engineering school, targeting women for just under 20 minutes before he turned the gun on himself.
Many characterize the massacre as an anti-feminist attack and so the anniversary of the massacre was commemorated as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
Each year there are plenty of tributes held across the city of Montreal, but the final tribute takes place on Mount Royal as fourteen beams of light (representing each of the fourteen lives lost) are projected into the sky.
If they catch your eye, please take a moment to stop and remember the victims who lost their lives.
On December 6th, we will honour and remember the following women:
- Anne-Marie Edward, chemical engineering student
- Anne-Marie Lemay, mechanical engineering student
- Annie St-Arneault, mechanical engineering student
- Annie Turcotte, materials engineering student
- Barbara Daigneault, mechanical engineering student
- Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, nursing student
- Geneviève Bergeron, civil engineering student
- Hélène Colgan, mechanical engineering student
- Maud Haviernick, materials engineering student
- Maryse Laganière, budget clerk in the École Polytechnique's finance department
- Maryse Leclair, materials engineering student
- Michèle Richard, materials engineering student
- Nathalie Croteau, mechanical engineering student
- Sonia Pelletier, mechanical engineering student