Valerie G. Barnes Connell Jordan
Northern Advocate
As they do annually, Piwapan Women’s Centre held a vigil, gathering and feast to honour the 14 women shot at the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal on Dec. 6, 1989.
The evening began with a documentary prepared by Piwapan staff focusing on the loss of the women and the decision by the Canadian Government to declare Dec. 6 a Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
As happens across the country, Piwapan staff created a vigil for the 14 women, with photos of each and 14 candles.
During a Vigil, each woman was recognized by name, and a candle lit.
All were students, mostly in engineering, with bright futures ahead of them on the day a lone gunman, Marc Lépine, walked into the school and shot them, also wounding 14 others. He then ended his own life.
Those remembered are: Anne-Marie Edwards; Maud Haviernick; Barbara Kiecznik-Widajewicz; Maryse Laganiere; Maryse Leclair; Anne-Marie Lemay; Sonia Pelletier; Michelle Richard; Annie St-Arneault; Annie Turcotte; Genevieve Bergeron; Helen Colgan; Nathalie Croteau; and Barbara Daigneault.
