Montreal honours 14 victims of Polytechnique massacre at ceremony

Montreal officials held a ceremony to mark the 36th anniversary of the Polytechnique massacre today.

A total of 14 women were murdered in the anti-feminist attack on Dec. 6, 1989.

Their names were: Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.

Thirteen other people were also injured in the attack perpetrated by Marc Lépine, who took his own life. He had ranted about feminists ruining his life.

The shooting led to tighter gun laws in Canada and greater awareness of violence against women. Dec. 6 is now the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

Catherine Bergeron, sister to Geneviève Bergeron and president of the Comité mémoire, opened the ceremony with a speech touching on the necessity of remembering.

“Thirty-six years later, we see the path travelled, but there is still so much to do,” she said, later speaking the names of Quebec women and girls who were killed this year.

“The duty of remembrance is still as relevant as ever,” she said.

Bergeron also took a moment to salute Louis Courville, who died a few days ago.

Bergeron said Courville, who was interim director general at Polytechnique when the tragedy unfolded, played a pivotal role in supporting the school community and victims’ families in the days and years that followed.

“We can never thank you enough,” she said. “You carried on your shoulders our sorrow, our distress and even at times our anger, but you knew that solidarity is always what allows to keep hope alive.”

As has been the custom since 2014, with exceptions during the pandemic, the ceremony was held on Mount Royal with the mayor, the premier and prime minister among those in attendance.

Remembrance comes with responsibility

Fourteen beams of light were lit at around 5:10 p.m., marking the time of the shooting. Snowflakes could be seen falling gently on the ground as the names of the 14 victims were read out by two engineering students.

Last year, on the 35th anniversary, a 15th beam was added in memory of all murdered women — with the initiative repeated this year. Bergeron said the 15th beam was also lighting up the night sky in honour of Courville.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Diana Fox Carney, left, look towards fourteen beams of light pointing skyward during ceremonies to mark the 36th anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique attack. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press)

In a statement earlier in the day, Prime Minister Mark Carney paid tribute to the 14 women “whose lives were stolen,” saying the massacre was a “reminder of the devastating toll of gender-based violence.”

“The horror of December 6, 1989, was an attack on women and the values of equality, dignity, and respect that define who we are as Canadians. It compels us, year after year, to confront gender-based violence wherever it persists and to match remembrance with responsibility.”

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada also voiced the need for continued action and vigilance.

“In Montreal, we must continue the fight for equality, equity, and safety for all women and girls,” she said in a statement, adding that “women have a right to live without fear and to realize their dreams.”

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada, centre, is overcome with emotion during Saturday’s commemoration ceremony. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press)

Martinez Ferrada pointed to the importance of ensuring that any gains made are preserved and passed on to future generations.

“We owe it the victims of Polytechnique and to all those we must still protect today,” she stated.

Premier François Legault, who spoke to reporters after the ceremony, also brought up the right of women to live their lives without fear. He urged those who witness acts of violence against women to speak out.

“When we know that a woman is being abused, we have to report it,” he said.

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On Saturday morning, representatives from Polytechnique Montréal and student associations placed white roses at the memorial plaque located on the school’s campus, as they have done for more than 30 years. 

Members of the public were also invited to pay their respects at the plaque.

Polytechnique Montreal president Maud Cohen was present and said Saturday’s ceremony is not only a moment for paying tribute to the victims, but also an opportunity to “reflect on what happened and ensure that it doesn’t happen again.”

Former Quebec Liberal Party leader Dominique Anglade, who graduated from Polytechnique in industrial engineering, noted the symbolic value associated with the ceremony and, like Cohen, stressed the importance of further reflection.

“Today is Dec. 6, but it’s every day that we have to think about the issue of violence against women.”