Candlelight ceremony remembers women whose deaths are related to violence

Alternatives for Women in Prince Edward County hosted a candlelight ceremony Monday, Dec. 6 – Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
The vigil included the placement of roses in remembrance of 14 female engineering students killed by a gunman at Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique on Dec. 6, 1989, and of women whose recent deaths are related to violence – Elaine Jeffery, Sahar Shafia, Zainab Shafia, Geeti Shafia, Rona Amir Mohammad, Kami Kellar, Anne Marie Shirran, Jessica Lloyd, Lise Marie Palmiere, Marie-France Comeau, Stephanie Gardner, Tracy Hanna and Whitney Hanna.
Two years after the Montreal incident, Canadian Parliament created the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Alternatives Prince Edward is dedicated to providing safe and confidential services while working to end violence against women. The 24-hour crisis line is 613-476-2787. Visit www.alternativesforwomen.org
The Massacre
On Dec. 6, 1989, Marc Lepine went on a shooting rampage at the Universite de Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique and killed 14 women.
During his attack he entered one classroom and told the men to to leave before he systematically shot every woman in the room. He then went through the school and continued to shoot women before taking his own life.
In all Lepine killed 14 women, and shot another 10 women and four men.
In a suicide note that was never officially released Lepine blamed feminists for ruining his life. He also had a list of 19 women in Quebec that he wanted to see dead because of their feminism.