27th anniversary of Montreal Massacre marked by ceremonies
Polytechnique Montreal opted for a simple commemoration Tuesday to mark the 27th anniversary of the massacre that saw 14 women gunned down at the school.
A bouquet of 14 white roses was placed at a memorial plaque in honour of the 13 students and one staff member killed on Dec. 6, 1989.
The school says campus flags were also lowered to half-mast from dawn until dusk Tuesday.
Shortly after noon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and 10 of his cabinet ministers — all women — laid flowers at the Centennial Flame in Ottawa as several of their male colleagues looked on.
Earlier, Trudeau issued a statement saying the women were killed “simply because they were women.”
He says the statistics relating to violence against girls and women are unacceptable and he encouraged a conversation about how to end gender-based violence.
“On this sombre anniversary, let us reflect on what Canadians — women, men, and youth — can do to rid the country and the planet of the scourges of misogyny and gender-based violence,” Trudeau said.
Other events planned for Tuesday included a gathering of various women’s groups in east-end Montreal.
In another ceremony on Mount Royal beginning at 5 p.m., 14 beacons of light were projected, one at a time, into the night sky for much of the early evening.
Gunman Marc Lepine ended up shooting more than two dozen people, including the 14 women, before taking his own life. He had ranted about feminists ruining his life.
Since the shootings, Dec. 6 has become a national day of commemoration and has served as a call for action on violence against women, with various events and vigils held across the country.