Content note: the following content discusses mass shootings and gender-based violence.
Today at King’s, the flags are at half mast, a memorial has been set up in the lobby of the A&A building, a vigil is planned with our colleagues and friends at Dalhousie. Today, we commemorate the 35th anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre.
On December 6, 1989, a murderer with an anti-feminist agenda killed 14 women as they studied, attended lectures and walked through the halls of their university. These women were targeted based on their gender.
Here are their names.
In honour of Geneviève Bergeron, a second-year civil engineering student. Geneviève turned 21 just two weeks before she was killed. She was a scholarship student in her intensely demanding program, proving her passion and dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and education. We remember Geneviève Bergeron.
In honour of Hélène Colgan. At 23, she was in her final year of a mechanical engineering program. Hélène was remembered to always be balancing a bunch of projects at once. This passion paid off, as she was weighing three job offers and the pursuit of a master’s degree after finishing her degree. We remember Hélène Colgan.
In honour of Nathalie Croteau. Nathalie was 23 years old and just three months from finishing her degree in mechanical engineering. She was an outgoing and ambitious student with a particular passion for everything science-related. We remember Nathalie Croteau.
In honour of Barbara Daigneault, an ambitious 22-year-old mechanical engineering student. Barbara worked as a teaching assistant in the mechanical engineering department alongside her studies. With just one semester of her degree left, she was already thinking ahead about her career prospects. We remember Barbara Daigneault.
In honour of Anne-Marie Edward, a first-year student in chemical engineering. At 21 years old, Anne-Marie was known for her cleverness and stubbornness in and out of the classroom. She was passionate about extreme sports, with a particular love for skiing. Anne-Marie was buried by her family in her ski jacket. We remember Anne-Marie Edward.
In honour of Maud Haviernick, a 29-year-old artist and student. Maud held a bachelor’s degree in environmental design and worked as an interior designer before returning to school to pursue her dream of becoming an engineer. Maud’s guiding principle was “if you feel like going all the way, well, just do it.” We remember Maud Haviernick.
In honour of Maryse Laganière. Maryse was 25 years old and worked in the school’s finance department. She was a newlywed, married just three months before. We remember Maryse Laganière.
In honour of Maryse Leclair, a 23-year-old fourth-year student in materials engineering. Maryse was recognized as one of the top students in the school and was just under a year from graduating. She was said to have lived unabashedly on her own terms. We remember Maryse Leclair.
In honour of Anne-Marie Lemay. At 27, Anne-Marie was in the fourth year of her studies in mechanical engineering. Anne-Marie was known for her compassion and ability to connect with others. Aside from her studies, she sang in a rock band and was actively volunteering within her communities. We remember Anne-Marie Lemay.
In honour of Sonia Pelletier. Sonia was 28 years old and just days from graduating with straight A’s with a bachelor in mechanical engineering. Her family said that her dream was to return to her small hometown in the Gaspé Peninsula to start her own engineering firm. We remember Sonia Pelletier.
In honour of Michèle Richard, a 21-year-old student in her second year of studies in materials engineering. Her friends described her as having some mysterious quality that drew people to her. She was loved by many, including her mother who described her as her “best friend and confidante.” We remember Michèle Richard.
In honour of Annie St-Arneault, a 23-year-old mechanical engineering student. Annie is remembered as “curious, meticulous, intensely caring and always searching for adventures of her own making.” She was sitting in her last class before her graduation when she was killed. We remember Annie St-Arneault.
In honour of Annie Turcotte, a 21-year-old engineering materials student in her first year. Upon entry into the program, she was granted a women-in-science bursary for her exceptional grades in college. Annie was passionate about nature, and entered her program with the interest of finding new ways to protect the environment. We remember Annie Turcotte.
In honour of Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, a 31-year-old nursing science student. Barbara moved to Montreal from Poland in 1987. She was exceptionally bright, having studied engineering, economics and food logistics and speaking five languages fluently. She was described as outgoing, friendly and having, as her husband stated, an “exceptional deadpan sarcasm.” We remember Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.
December 6th of every year has been designated the National Day for Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada
As an institution for learning, King’s commemorates the 14 women who lost their lives in the university space while also considering the larger structures of gender-based violence that continue to pervade our communities. Today is an important opportunity to take time, as a community, to consider all the existing forces of gender-based violence that affect our society to this day. These structures, among various other forces motivated by racism, sexism, classism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia and colonialism make up what we understand today as gender-based violence. The National Day for Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women not only marks a time to reflect on the past, but also exists as a call to action for all of us to stand together in preventing gender-based violence in our communities. And so,
… in remembrance of the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People whose lives have been cut short by violence. Countless families and communities have been devastated by this national tragedy. To learn how to respond to this ongoing act of colonization read the calls to justice found in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Report.
… in honour of trans women of colour, who face exceedingly high rates of violence partly due to the intersections of racism, sexism, transphobia and transmisogyny. As we work towards ending gender-based violence, may we remember that our approaches need to address all the ways that violence takes form in the lives of those who face it, both structurally and personally.
… in solidarity with sex workers who endure violence that is aggravated by social stigma and criminalization. Gender-based violence and workers’ rights will always be intertwined.
… in recognition of the underfunding of transition shelters for women leaving intimate partner violence which leaves substantial and life-threatening gaps in services. This can be seen in Halifax and across Canada. Affordable housing is violence prevention.
We also want to commemorate those who lost their lives and were impacted by the violence that took place in Portapique, Nova Scotia in April 2020. One of the results of the inquiry into the tragedy was officially naming intimate partner violence an “epidemic” in Bill 482: the Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act, which became law in Nova Scotia in September 2024.
As a community, there are things we can do and actions we can take. Today is a chance to reflect on how gender-based violence and other forms of oppression intersect in our lives and communities; on how sexism and transphobia continue to impact women, trans, non-binary and two-spirit folks on campuses across the country. It’s a chance to read and reflect on the report from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, to listen to the calls to action from sex workers and activists doing the groundwork towards complete decriminalization. And a chance to support initiatives for women, youth and queer, trans and two-spirit folks fleeing instances of violence in Halifax or anywhere.
If you are experiencing the effects of gender-based violence or have questions about it, please reach out to Sexual Health and Safety Officer Jordan Roberts, who can help you access resources at King’s and in the broader community. Everyone deserves a safe place here at King’s—and everywhere in our community.
With thanks to Ry Pembroke, BA’22, BJ’23, for the significant contribution they made to this text as part of their work with the Sexual Health and Safety Office while at King’s.
