I invite The University of Winnipeg community to pause and remember 14 women whose lives were cut short in a tragic mass shooting thirty years ago, on December 6, 1989, at École Polytechnique in Montreal.
This evening, Wesley Hall will be lit up orange to commemorate The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, and to remember 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, and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.
On the west wall of Gallery 1C03 on our campus, there is a plaque on display honouring Nathalie Croteau. It was placed jointly by The University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA) and UWinnipeg in 1990. The plaque was created by artist Lin Gibson as part of a multi-site installation of 14 plaques across the city of Winnipeg. Each one prominently states the name of one of the women killed, to memorialize these women and draw attention to gender-based violence.
The following related links provide more information:
- 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
- Gallery 1C03 Art Collection: Lin Gibson Murdered by Misogyny: Forever
- UWSA Women-Trans Spectrum Centre
- Institute for Women’s and Gender Studies
As we take time to remember, I also encourage you to think about the ways that you can take action to end violence against women. We can make a difference.
Dr. Annette Trimbee
President & Vice-Chancellor
The University of Winnipeg
