Ottawa, Ontario - 6 December 2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women:
“Today marks 25 years since the horrific events that took place on December 6, 1989, at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal, when a gunman took the lives of 14 young women.
“Twenty-five years later, we still cannot comprehend how such an atrocity could be committed in Canada. On this tragic anniversary, we remember the women who have been affected by violence and recommit ourselves to taking action on violence against women.
“Recognizing that there is still much that needs to be accomplished, our Government is taking steps to prevent physical and sexual assault against women by supporting community-based projects, such as the White Ribbon Campaign, which aim to sensitize men and boys to gender-based violence.
“We are also taking steps to address violence against Aboriginal women and girls through our recently announced Action Plan to Address Family Violence and Violent Crimes Against Aboriginal Women and Girls, which supports prevention activities for women, children and families on-reserve.
“Through the Victims Fund, our Government is helping to improve services for women who have experienced violence by providing support to shelter services and promoting access to justice. In addition, we are strengthening laws and taking other measures to crack down on cyberviolence, and introduced the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act, which aims to protect girls and young women from early and forced marriage.
“Canada is also taking action internationally by supporting initiatives such as the United Nations Population Fund to prevent sexual and gender-based violence during humanitarian crises, and UNICEF’s work to end child, early and forced marriage in developing countries.
“As we work towards making our communities safer, let us never forget the 14 young, bright women who were brutally murdered 25 years ago simply for being women and the violence that many women still face daily around the world.”
