OSSTF/FEESO Statement

December 6, 2022 – National Day of Remembrance

Thirty-three years ago, 14 women were targeted and murdered by a man with a rifle, who claimed to be “fighting feminism”. Another 10 women were shot and wounded in the attack at l’Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, also known as the Montreal Massacre. All 24 women were attacked simply because they were women.

Every year on December 6, we commemorate the women who lost their lives in Montreal on that day in 1989: Geneviève Bergeron, Maryse Laganière, Hélène Colgan, Maryse Leclair, Nathalie Croteau, Anne-Marie Lemay, Barbara Daigneault, Sonia Pelletier, Anne-Marie Edward, Michèle Richard, Maud Haviernick, Annie St-Arneault, Barbara Klucznik Widajewicz. We also reflect on every woman, girl, and transgender, non-binary, or two-spirit person who has been killed at the hands of a man in the 33 years since the massacre.

We honour each of them, and pledge that we will not stop until we see an end to gender-based violence.

It is as important as ever to support and protect women, children, and transgender, non-binary, and two-spirit people who are facing domestic violence, which has been on the rise since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a provincial labour union active in communities throughout the province, OSSTF/FEESO and its Members have a critical role to play in eradicating gender-based violence in Ontario.

We are working tirelessly to ensure to have trained at least one women’s advocate at all of our Districts across the province. These advocates provide support and resources to our members who have or are experiencing domestic violence. We are also committed to bringing awareness and action to our Members and communities in the fight to end gender-based violence. This means working with our many community partners, multiple levels of government, school boards, and parents to end all forms of gender-based violence.

For more information on how you can take action against gender-based violence, please see Women and Equality Canada’s 16 Days of Action toolkit.