Mr. Speaker, six years ago in a university, a place of learning, a Canadian tragedy occurred. On this day in 1989 a lone male directed his rage at 14 innocent women at École Polytechnique in Montreal.
In a country such as Canada where so many women have experienced some level of injury, physical or sexual, we must make every effort to live up to our reputation as being the best country in the world in which to live by ensuring a society which is safe from ethnic or gender based violence.
We mark this day of remembrance for the victims of the Montreal massacre and to raise Canadians' awareness that violence against women is not only a crime, but an infringement of human rights.
Violence against women reflects not power over others but the fear of cowards.