Fanshawe to pay respects to victims of the Montreal Massacre

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The memorial on December 5 will be an opportunity to remember victims of gender-based violence.

Though the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women falls on a Saturday this year, Fanshawe will commemorate victims of violence with a memorial ceremony on December 5 – and the college is looking for volunteers to help at the event.

The memorial commemorates the events that happened December 6, 1989, where 14 women were murdered at École polytechnique de Montréal at the hands of Marc Lépine, who targeted women that day.

Corporate communications officer Dayan Boyce says the college wants to see the community taking steps to end violence.

“We’d like to get enough volunteers to have one representative student on behalf of each of the victims,” Boyce said. “These would be the people who would light the candles and lay the roses on behalf of the victims to commemorate each of the 14 women.”

The call for volunteers has no gender or age restriction.

“Violence against women really does affect, and people don’t realize that per say – it affects everybody,” Boyce said. “We’re inviting women and men to participate and we have had excellent participation from students in the past.”

“December 6 is an opportunity to acknowledge the voice to the victims and to reflect on ways we can take action.”

Though the memorial ceremony is to remember and reflect, Boyce says it’s also a day to encourage everyone.

“We’re a pretty diverse community at the college … we are not drawing lines against each other, but we’re considering concrete actions that we can take to eliminate all forms of violence.”

The hour-long memorial service will involve a speaker and 14 volunteers, but one of the most poignant parts of the service includes a drum.

“We have a heartbeat being laid down on a drum … during which, people are invited to speak out loud the names of anyone they know who has been a victim of gender-based violence,” Boyce said. “It’s probably one of the most moving and powerful parts of the vigil.”

The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women may reflect on the killings of women, but it opens up conversation about the issue as a whole.

“Although it was 14 women who were murdered at École polytechnique, we are approaching this in saying violence against women is not just a women’s issue,” Boyce said. “It’s a people issue. It’s a culture issue and a social issue.”

The service will take place in Alumni Lounge (SC2013) at 1 p.m. on December 5.

People who are interested in volunteering to partake in the service can contact Boyce at dboyce@fanshawec.ca.