Mr. Speaker, violence against women is a national problem that demands the attention of all Canadians.
On December 6, 1989, 14 young women were savagely murdered at the École Polytechnique in Montreal. To commemorate the deaths of these women, the Government of Canada established December 6 as a national day of remembrance and action on violence against women.
Nine years after this horrible event I join men and women across the country in remembering those who have been injured or killed and in thanking community groups that help abused women on a daily basis.
This important work is done in my riding of Sault Ste. Marie by Algoma Women's Sexual Assault Services, Women in Crisis, the Sexual Assault Care Centre, Breton House and the Phoenix Rising Women's Centre. Like their counterparts across the country these groups are putting remembrance into action.
Let us all do our best to follow their example. Let us all do our best to put an end to violence against women.