Quebec remembers École Polytechnique mass shooting at 32nd anniversary ceremonies
CBC
It has been decades since the mass shooting at École Polytechnique, but the Montreal tragedy still burns in the hearts of Canadians who paid tribute to the 14 victims throughout the day Monday.
Survivor Michèle Thibodeau-DeGuire says she struggles to find the words to describe Dec. 6, 1989, when she, like many others, found herself hiding from gunfire under a desk.
Today, she is chair of the Polytechnique board of directors. She attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the university on Monday, as she has done every year since the massacre.
"What this day means is remembering the horrible thing that happened," she said. "Nobody could believe that it could happen here at Polytechnique."
Serge St-Arneault, brother of Polytechnique victim Annie St-Arneault, said on Monday that the gunman "had disfigured the face of humanity where each person is a sacred story."
St-Arneault is a member of the gun control advocacy group, PolySeSouvient.
Montreal and cities across Canada are hosting events Monday to commemorate the victims.
The vigil at École Polytechnique originally planned to take place at noon was moved online because of weather conditions.
In the evening, 14 beams of light were projected to the sky from the top of Montreal's Mount Royal — each light representing one of the victims. A quiet, sombre ceremony was held, naming each victim and remembering them.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the ceremony.
"They were strong. They were smart. They were women. And they were murdered because of it," he said on Twitter. "We cannot allow this gender-based violence to exist."
After the ceremony, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the anniversary is a good time to reflect as a society and individually on what we can do to fight violence against women and girls.
"Everything needs to be done as a society to fight that situation," she said.
Quebec Premier François Legault said the vast majority of Quebecers believe in equal rights, and the massacre at Polytechnique does not represent the province's values.
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