December 6: National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

December 6: National Day of Remembrance and Action On Violence Against Women

Opening Remarks – Jayal Chung

Good Afternoon.

Thank you for taking the time to be here for this service. First, I’d like to acknowledge our elders past, present and future and that we are on traditional lands of Fort William First Nation, Robinson Superior Treaty 1850. I’d like to thank the women drummers for opening this service and sharing their powerful song.

Now, I bring your attention to three deliberate choices I’ve made when organizing this service. First: the 14 empty chairs here. They represent the rightful space reserved today to honour the women who were murdered on December 6, 1989 at L’Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal. The women had dreams and held potential until their lives were taken away by a man who hated feminists.

This young man, armed with a legally obtained firearm and hunting knife, shot 28 people before taking his own life. He separated the male and female students and targeted women to shoot. His suicide note claimed political motives and blamed feminists for ruining his life and listed other women in Quebec who he considered to be feminists.

This leads me to my second choice: I deliberately refrain from naming him in this service.The man saw no space for women at the school; no space or understanding for feminism; held no space for equity. Not fair. It’s not fair that these women died. Not fair that gender violence in all of its cruel forms exists (be it: physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, financial, spiritual or stalking). Not fair that these are facts:

• On average, every six days a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner.3

• Violence against women happens in all cultures and religions, in all ethnic and racial communities, at every age, and in every income group.
• Aboriginal women (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) are especially at risk and eight times more likely to be killed by their intimate partner than non-Aboriginal women.48

(Canadian Women’s Foundation | canadianwomen.org)

• Up to 70 per cent of women experience violence in their lifetime.

(United Nations | un.org/en/events/endviolenceday)

Not fair that rape happens. Not fair that the woman who wrote ‘University doesn’t take rape seriously’ to the local newspaper in October, experienced what she did.

Not fair that the then 14 year old, Malala Yousafzai got shot by the Taliban, advocating for girls’ rights to education.

Gender violence still exists. Today is a reminder of this. We can take a pulse and reflect on the changes that women have fought so hard for, and we can also see how there is still much work to do. It is our collective small and big actions that count and we must keep working to end the systemic issue of violence in our society.

I reflect on this — how violence applied is a means of control and punishment for those who’ve stepped out of the bounds of control. Fear and violence takes away a person’s rights and freedoms to participate in everyday life. This is not fair. It’s not ok.

Before I ask the readers and candle-lighters to come up, I direct your attention to a third detail: All of you seated right here, right now are part of this space. This is a safe space and I’m honoured to share it with you. I’ve marked by tape and asked men to be seated on one side and women to be seated on one side while the middle is for all genders, for everyone. (It doesn’t matter to me where you sit). Look around you and see that my choice is meant to unite us to remember. To remember the 14 women, and every person who has been a victim or survivor of violence.

Now, I’d like to call the readers to help me and that everyone of you light your candle and help the person next to you.

Closing Remarks Violence against women is not an issue of the past, yet. I believe we can make change. I’m committed to it, personally.

I want a safer and inclusive community, on and off campus because I care about your well-being and mine.

So, what are concrete ways one can make change? Here are a few examples I encourage you to consider:

1. Help build community within your reach and then reach wider. Do it by giving time and energy or financially supporting various social service organizations like the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre, Shelter House, Children’s Aid, Beendigen, AIDs Thunder Bay, Centre des Femmes Francophone, the Sex Workers Action Network and more.

2. Take small actions everyday and take a risk by speaking out and bringing awareness to sexist language and attitudes. Connect with each other for support and so nobody has to feel alone and isolated.

3. Sign the petition by the Native Women’s Association of Canada for a national inquiry, for missing, murdered Aboriginal Woman.

Feel your heart beat, right now; I think of the candles flickering and the spirit of drumming and how we must keep working. We must be persistent. We hold collective power and each of us can participate in making a safer, inclusive, equitable and non-violent society. Thank you for being here today.

Please stay to converse, watch the video and enjoy light refreshments by Aramark, and cake from Holly Hyder and Natalie Corbin representing the Status of Women Committee for Lakehead Elementary Teachers.

25 years after Montreal Massacre gender-based violence persists on Canadian campuses – Canadian Federation of Students