Brescia University College commemorated the 22nd anniversary of the Montreal Massacre December 6 at the annual Ritual of Re-membering.
“The Montreal massacre took place at a university,” said Kim Young Milani, director of The Circle Women’s Centre. “So, as the only women’s university in Canada it is important that we honour this day (and) celebrate that women are moving forward.”
The Ritual of Re-membering has been taking place at Brescia University College since the first anniversary of the massacre. In fact, the ceremony was the first public event hosted by The Circle Women’s Centre – a program and resource centre focused on feminist spirituality and activism in London.
At the ceremony, university students lit 15 candles – 14 for the women shot to death at Montreal’s École Polytechnique and one for UWO student Lynda Shaw, who was murdered in 1990. Community members attending the ceremony were also invited to light candles.
“Violence against women is a problem,” said Samantha Demaiter, a first year student at Brescia who lit of one the 15 candles. “It’s important to get the word out to help (end) it.”
Along with Brescia staff, students and faculty, the ceremony was attended by members of the community and even saw representation from the London fire department and London Police Services.
“Unfortunately, violence against women is still a reality,” said police chief Brad Duncan, who was also present at the ceremony. “We certainly must honour the victims but it’s really about moving forward (towards fighting and ending violence against women).”
Young Milani said the Ritual of Re-membering was just as much about the front line workers, such as the police who work with victims of violence, as it was about the victims themselves.
“(Because of) the work they do day after day dealing with this pretty horrific issue, they are also heroes in our community that also need to be remembered on a day like today,” Young Milani said.
But despite efforts, new cases of violence against women, such as the recent case of the slain Shafia women in Kingston, shake the nation.
“These are systemic views of women that undermine women’s equality, that undermine their rightful place in society,” Young Milani said.
Citing the example of the recent controversy over the London Rippers, Young Milani said violence against women is pervasive and needs to be dealt with at every level.
“That man massacred women and that is exactly what we are countering here (at the ceremony),” she said. “That’ not a figure for a sports mascot.”
But the community at large and Brescia University College continue to raise awareness about the issue and hope to continue to work together to put an end to violence against women.
“London has a really vibrant activist community, especially the women’s community,” Young Milani said.
via Brescia remembers Montreal Massacre | Local | News | Londoner.
