Lotus Centre to honour victims of Montreal massacre

Local guest speakers will report on their address to the United Nations on non-state violence

The anniversary of the Montreal massacre will be marked next week with a special ceremony at the Truro’s Marigold Cultural Centre.

The Dec. 6 event will feature guest speakers Jeanne Sarson and Linda Macdonald, two Truro advocates who will discuss their report to the United Nations on topics such as violence against women and acts of non-state torture such as human trafficking.

“I think it’s very important globally and in the local centre, as there are women in our town who are suffering and people don’t know. And it’s a big issue in our community and our frontline workers at the centre itself have heard various accounts of violence against women and sexual assault,” said Michaela Maclachlan, office manager at The Lotus Centre – A Resource for Women. “This is just a way to get people together and start the conversation on what we can do.”

Both Sarson and Macdonald have campaigned for about 25 years for non-state torture to be recognized as a human rights violation as well as a crime in Canada. Non-state torture refers to ongoing, physical, mental and sexual violence that can occur in both domestic and commercial or business settings.

The pair, who are now nurses, both suffered violence in their younger years and say it later made them more attuned to those patients who suffered in a similar manner.

“I think it’s important to bring it to light and talk about a subject that is not discussed,” said Maclachlan.

The Ecole Polytechnique massacre in Montreal was carried out on Dec. 6, 1989, by Marc Lepine. Fourteen women were shot dead and another 14 were injured by Lepine, who claimed to be fighting feminism. He then killed himself. Starting in 1991, the massacre’s anniversary has been marked as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

This year’s commemoration in Truro is being organized by The Lotus Centre, Third Place Transition House, Colchester Sexual Assault Centre and the Mi’kmaw Family Healing Centre.

For more information on Sarson and Macdonald’s work, go to http://nonstatetorture.org.

People who have suffered any kind of domestic or sexual violence can call The Lotus Centre at 902-895-4295 for help and advice, or visit http://thelotuscentre.net.