14 Not Forgotten

The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women serves to remind us of gender-based violence against women in Canada and around the world.

06 December 2018

On Dec. 6, 1989, 14 women-12 engineering students, one nursing student and one employee-were singled out because of their gender and slain by a gunman at École Polytechnique de Montreal.

The killings sent shockwaves across the country and led to the establishment of Dec. 6 as National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

In 1991, a group of Canadian men organized the White Ribbon Campaign, urging men to wear a white ribbon from Nov. 24 - Dec. 6 to raise awareness of violence against women. Nov. 25 is designated as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

At the U of A, the anniversary of the event known as the Montreal Massacre is observed in different ways.

There are two memorial sites on campus: a memorial stone garden situated just west of the south entrance to the Administration Building, and a '14 Not Forgotten' memorial plaque in the common room of the Engineering Teaching and Learning Complex.

To honour the lives of the murdered women and to support efforts to end violence against women, bouquets of 14 white roses are set up at reception areas and in front of the memorial plaque in ETLC.

In keeping with the tradition at the U of A and other engineering schools across the country, the women are remembered and their memories honoured in a quiet, dignified way. An official moment of silence will be held at 12 noon on December 6 at the commemorative plaque in ETLC.

Students, staff and members of the public are invited to gather and reflect at the site throughout the week.

We remember:

Geneviève Bergeron, 21, Civil Engineering Student
Hélène Colgon, 23, Mechanical Engineering Student
Nathalie Croteau, 23, Mechanical Engineering Student
Barbara Daigneault, 23, Mechanical Engineering Student
Anne-Marie Edward, 21, Chemical Engineering Student
Maud Haviernick, 29, Environmental Design Student
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, 31, Nursing Student
Maryse Laganière, 25, Polytechnique Montréal Employee
Maryse Leclair, 23, Mechanical Engineering Student
Anne-Marie Lemay, 27, Mechanical Engineering Student
Sonia Pelletier, 28, Mechanical Engineering Student
Michèle Richard, 21, Mechanical Engineering Student
Annie St-Arneault, 23, Mechanical Engineering Student
Annie Turcotte, 21, Materials Engineering Student