The city of St. Albert is recognizing the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women by flying flags at half-mast today.
The Canadian government dedicates Dec. 6 for remembrance and action on violence against women as a way to commemorate the 14 women who were shot to death by a man on the grounds of Polytechnique Montréal, a university in Quebec, in 1989.
2023 marks the 34th anniversary of the femicide.
The Polytechnique massacre was considered the deadliest shooting event in Canadian history until 2020 when a Nova Scotia man killed 22 people over the course of two days.
“This act of violent misogyny shook our country and led Parliament to designate December 6 as The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women,” the federal government's website reads. “As we mourn their loss and remember their lives, we reaffirm our commitment to fight the hatred that led to this tragedy, and the misogyny that still exists today.”
“Achieving a Canada free from gender-based violence requires everyone living in this country to educate themselves and their families and communities on gender-based violence, centre the voices of survivors in our actions and speak up against harmful behaviours.”
