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t The Oakville Beaver, W ednesday December 8, 2004 - A3 R e m e m b e r in g th e v ic t im s Genevieve Bergeron, Helene Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviemick, Barbara Klucznik Widajewicz, Maryse Laganiere, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michele Richard, Annie St-Ameault, andArmie Turcotte Sh e rid a n stu d e n ts e n co u ra ge d to e n d violen ce a g a in st w o m e n By Craig MacBride OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF It was a sombre day in the lobby of the SCAET building at the Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning Monday, as staff and students gathered to lay roses and to remember the lives of the 14 women killed in Canada's largest mass murder. Monday was the fifteenth anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, when a 25-yearold man, Marc Lepine, walked into Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, told the men to leave, and then killed 14 women and went on to injure 13 others, before turn ing his semi-automatic rifle on himself. Lepine said the reason for the shoot ings, and the reason he targeted women, was to get even with feminists, who he claimed had ruined his life. The day of the tragedy was a launching point for two causes in Canada: gun con trol and the ceasing of violence against women. Sheridan's observation of the day was mainly about remembrance, as 14 people from the school and the community laid white roses in the lobby of the SCAET building. The 14 women they were laying roses for were Genevieve Bergeron, Helene Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud phenomenon of violence against women," Haviemick, Barbara Klucznik Widajewicz, she said. "As long as the issue is not given Maryse Lagani6re, Maryse Leclair, Anne- priority and addressed, women will live in Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michele fear." The keynote speaker was Suzanne Richard, Annie St-Ameault, and Annie Demars, a Sheridan graduate and a recipi TUrcotte. The ceremony wasn't only ent of the Premier's Award about remembrance, though. "As long as the issue j and a National Leadership It was also a reminder that is not given priority I Award for her work to stop violence against women violence, particularly against and addressed, remains a serious and wide children. Demars is the women will live founder of Not My Child, and spread problem. in fear." she's the victims services According to statistics manager of MADD Canada. gathered by Status of Women Demars pointed to the in Canada, a federal agency, ·Baneen Zainab Walji, Sheridan community I root of the problem, the place 51 percent of women have building peer mentor · j wherp the violence begins, been victims of at least one long before a gun is used or a act of physical or sexual vio lence since the age of 16, and they make punch is thrown. Lepine, she said, thought "women were up the vast majority of victims of sexual assault, criminal harassment, and abduc of no value." tion. In a York University study of six univer Dr. Robert Turner, President and CEO sities, 70 percent of men admitted to ver of Sheridan, told the gathering of a few bally and emotionally abusing their girl dozen people that the anniversary of the friends. That statistic points to a large Montreal Massacre is a time "to remem number of men who think that women ber, to grieve, and to display our collec have lesser, or no value. It is a very large problem, and Demars, tive intolerance to violence against like many, is working towards the noblest women." Baneen Zainab Walji, a community goal, trying to change that, and to build a building peer mentor at Sheridan, echoed society in which, in her words, "safety will move from being a possibility to a Turner's statement. "This day is our time to focus on the reality." RON KUZYK OAKVILLE BEAVER I SYMBOLS OF RESPECT: Suzanne Demars, Victim Services manag er of MADD Canada, and D r. Robert Turner, president and CEO of Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning view roses laid in memory of the victims of the Montreal Massacre. CAW holds vigil for lives taken in massacre By Melanie Cummings SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Violence reminds Chris McDougall of a Cyprus tree. In its swampy growing environment some of the tree's roots are exposed while some are buried deep. Like violence, these are diehard trees that thrive on neglect. McDougall's eloquent analogy was part of a candlelight vigil organized by the Canadian Auto Workers' Local 707 women's committee, on the 15th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. Invoking the memory of the Dec. 6, 1989 tragedy, when a misogynistic madman gunned down 14 women at Ecole Polytechnique de. Montreal, serves as a reminder that outward and insidious violence against women still persists. Dec. 6 is also designated as a national day of remembrance and action on violence against 'women. "Words change history," said McDougall. Consider the wartime propaganda campaigns that used comedy, cartooning and ridicule to sway general opinion and create an enemy mindset. The same tactics are used socially, against women. "In the workplace words are used by men to denigrate women, the b-word specifically," said McDougall. He urged his workmates to put a face to such nastiness. To think of their mom, sister, wife, girl friend or daughter when such words are spoken or heard. "Guys, it's up to us to change. Words like these hurt," said McDougall. The Galaxy Club was awash in the glow of can dlelight and soulful music from performers Chris improving access to universal childcare, enacting pay equity legislation, increasing welfare pay ments, improving housing situations and impos ing humane immigration practices. Statistically there is a lot more work ahead: Fifty-one per cent of Canadian women have been victims of at least one act of physical or sex ual violence since the age of 16, stated the Violence Against Women Survey released in 1993. In a study entitled Homicide in Canada. 52 per cent of all female homicide victims in 2001 were killed by someone with whom they had an inti mate relationship at one point in time, either through marriage or dating (compared to eight per cent of male victims). In 2000 women were the large majority of vic tims in of sexual assaults (86 per cent), criminal harassment (78 per cent) and kidnapping/hostage-taking or abduction (67 per cent), according to the Statistics Canada report, Canadian Crime Statistics 2000. Women are much more likely to be victimized by someone they know than by a stranger. In 2000, 77 per cent of all female victims were vic timized either by a close friend, acquaintance, current or past partner, or parent. * Halton's Victim Service co-ordinator Noreen Heaney has seen the human side of these statis tics, close to home. "No matter what the background, socioeco nomic status, neighbourhood or education level, violence exists here," said Heaney. While it is the work of her department within the regional police service to ensure a seamless delivery of resources to victims of violence, there is still much work to be done on the judicial end, she added. PETER C. MCCUSKER / OAKVILLE BEAVER LIG H TIN G CANDLES TO REM EM BER: Brett Lefebre lights his candle following Lina RondeauFrondella, Chris McDougall, Scott McColeman and others representing the women who were murdered at Ecole Polytechnique 15 years ago. Graham, Dean Langeil, Nicole Dunn and bag piper Mark Switzer, during Monday night's vigil. According to the evening's guest speaker, Gary Beck, president of the CAW local, "we can't erase the Montreal Massacre from our memories but we can oppose maltreatment in all its ugly forms and become proactive, instead of defensive." He also urged CAW members to take charge of the issue indirectly, by donating to a women's shelter and pushing for government policies on help make this season specialfor you and a child. B rin g in a n e w , u n w ra p p e d to y a n d re c e iv e a ... and 0 M o o n lig h t M adness Sale * Tk ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ * Friday, December 10, 2004 D o n 't M is s it E v e ry th in g O n S a le O n e D a y O nly! 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