Remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister at Women’s College Hospital on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Toronto, ON - December 6, 2024

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Today is a tragic day, it’s a really sad day for all of us. It is an important day of remembrance and I am glad to have the opportunity to share in the sadness and to remember with everyone here, and especially with the women and girls who are here.

I’m delighted to be here especially with three strong women—MPP Jessica Bell, Mayor Olivia Chow, and Councillor Dianne Saxe. It’s a good day to point out that we have four women here who have been elected by the people of this city and this community to represent them. Given the event we are commemorating, that is something good to highlight today.

Thirty-five years ago, 14 young women were murdered at École Polytechnique for the crime of being women and daring to study what the patriarchy deemed to be a masculine field.

We need to be very clear about what happened. It is so important to remember that happened to commemorate their lives and to recognize that women and girls today still face violence. That is utterly unacceptable. It is so important for us to remember these lives and to keep on working hard so that this stops.

Thirty-five years is a long time. It is really awful that 35 years on—while we are commemorating the lives lost, and while we are coming together to say we have to stop it—we haven’t stopped it yet. There is still a lot of misogyny and there are still a lot of women and girls who face actual threats to their lives and who are being killed here in our country.

But I think, while today should be a day of sadness, it should not be a day of despair. Today should be a day where we commit to keep on fighting. I’m really glad to be here with all of you to do that. You inspire me, being together inspires me.

I have the privilege of carrying a rose in the name of Hélène Colgan. I think it’s important to say her name and for all of us to recognize the names of the 14 women who were killed. These were real women who were cherished and brilliant and they are missed to this day by their families and friends and communities. They’re missed by our whole country.

Thank you everyone for your hard work, thank you for being here, and thank you to all the workers at Women’s College Hospital. You are so important for our community. Women’s College Hospital is such an important place in our community and in our city. You literally save lives here every single day. You are a place where the health of women and girls is at the very centre of your work.

Thank you.