December 6th - 1989

That Date & Remembering What Montreal Carries With It.

December 6 is not an abstract date for me.

Montréal is my hometown. It’s where I grew up, went to school and got my first job.

It is a city defined by culture, education, innovation, and community. It is a place of learning, debate, and possibility.

And on December 6, 1989, it was shaken to its core.

The murders at École Polytechnique de Montréal were not just a tragedy they were a rupture. They instilled unease in women across the city and the country. They sparked outrage. And they changed how many women moved through classrooms, campuses, and workplaces, with an awareness they should never have had to carry.

Fourteen women were assassinated because they were women. Because they were pursuing education. Because they were claiming space.

They were:

• Geneviève Bergeron

• Hélène Colgan

• Nathalie Croteau

• Barbara Daigneault

• Anne-Marie Edward

• Maud Haviernick

• Maryse Laganière

• Maryse Leclair

• Anne-Marie Lemay

• Sonia Pelletier

• Michèle Richard

• Annie St-Arneault

• Annie Turcotte

• Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz

Their names matter.

Saying them matters.

A City, A Country, A Responsibility

This act of violence reverberated far beyond Montréal. It forced Canada to confront a painful truth: misogyny and gender-based violence are real, present, and deeply damaging.

That is why December 6 is recognized as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

It is a day not only to reflect, but to commit to safety, to equality, and to accountability.

Women should feel safe in:

• Learning environments

• Teaching and academic spaces

• Workplaces and leadership roles

• Public and professional life

Safety is not optional.

Equality is not negotiable.

Why This Still Needs to Be Said

More than three decades later, women still navigate environments where safety, respect, and equality are not guaranteed. That reality is unsettling and unacceptable.

Remembering December 6 is about more than honouring the past. It is about ensuring that our institutions, workplaces, and cultures do better. It is about refusing complacency and choosing intention.

As someone who comes from Montréal, this day carries weight. It is a reminder that even communities rooted in education and progress are not immune and that responsibility belongs to all of us.

Government of Canada Official Recognition

The Government of Canada formally recognizes December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

You can learn more here: National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/commemorations-celebrations/16-days/national-day-remembrance.html