Transition House honours work against gender-based violence on massacre anniversary
On the 30th anniversary of the Montreal massacre, the Transition House took a moment to remember the 14 women left dead and 14 injured after the attack and to address the continued fight against gender-based violence.
At the first iteration of the Change Makers Breakfast, the Transition House welcomed members of the community, donors, and community partners to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, an international campaign calling for prevention and elimination of violence against women.
Those gathered shared in a moment of remembrance for the women who were murdered in the 1989 shooting at École Polytechnique, which is still considered the largest mass shooting in Canadian history.
After reading their name, volunteers lit a candle for each victim: Anne-Marie Lemay, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie Turcotte, Annie St-Arneault, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Geneviève Bergeron, Maud Haviernick, and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz. Jenn Angus, executive director of the Transition House, then spotlighted seven men from the Moose Jaw community who have encouraged change for women and an end to gender-based violence. Those acknowledged included Chad Topp, executive director of the Thunder Creek Rehabilitation Association; Sgt. Kevin Pilsworth, of the Moose Jaw Police Service; Kyle Sereda, chief of Moose Jaw & District EMS; Geoff Anderson, general manager of Moose Jaw Co-op; Sgt. Tim Schwartz, of the Moose Jaw RCMP; and Darrell Andrei, organizer of the former Silent Voices fundraiser. Each recipient was given an award of recognition as well as a superhero doll, to remind them of how important their efforts are to the community. “These men are very deserving and I’m so thankful that they accepted, so happy that they came out today,” said Angus. “I’m just so thankful for all the staff and the community, the funders and the general partners that make this a priority, that make eliminating gender-based violence a part of what they do in not just their work but in their lives.”
The Transition House also recognized high school student Blaze Bailee, who worked with the shelter and shared his experiences with his classmates through an emotional video about hope. Taking this chance to recognize the genuine efforts from men is an important step in the march towards equality, said
Angus, especially as the theme of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence this year is “Our actions matter.”
“We really wanted to take it a step further and include what we can be doing as a community,” said Angus. “Men are such a vital part of that and should be recognized, not just as perpetrators or potential perpetrators, but as the heroes that they are, doing this work every single day.”
The Transition House hosts a remembrance event every year on the anniversary of the massacre and continues to support and encourage change to end violence against women.
Angus encourages the men of Moose Jaw to continue working for change and to pick up a white ribbon from the White Ribbon Campaign.
The ribbons indicate a declaration to never commit, condone, or stay silent about gender-based violence. Moose Jaw’s campaign organizer Sgt. Pilsworth and Sgt. Schwartz also had ribbons available at the Moose Jaw Warriors game at Mosaic Place on Dec. 6.