Flags at all Conestoga campuses will be flown at half-mast today in recognition of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The national observance was established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada to mark the anniversary of the murders in 1989 of 14 young women at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. Today marks 30 years since the tragic event.
As well as commemorating the young women whose lives ended in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation, December 6 represents an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the fact that women in Canada and around the world continue to face disproportionate levels of violence.
It is also an opportunity to consider the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality, and to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence. Finally, it is a day for communities to consider concrete actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.