Madam Speaker, today is the day that Canadians recognize as a day of remembrance in honour of the 14 young women who were tragically killed at Ecole Polytechnique because of their gender. However this day should also be a day of action on violence against women so that as we mourn we can work toward change.
On Tuesday evening the women's caucus held an open roundtable on international women's issues and heard firsthand the accounts of the realities of violence against women worldwide. We must start by acknowledging this sad anniversary as well as the deaths of those women that have died as victims worldwide and work toward breaking the cycle of violence.
Today in Toronto, Women's College Hospital is holding a commemorative service whereby a rose for each of the 14 women is being presented in their memory. The guest of this event is Pamela Cross, executive and legal director of Metrac, whose timely remarks will focus on violence against women in a violent world culture.
This tragedy is further evidence that more research such as that led by Dr. Heather Maclean and Dr. Robin Badgley at the centre of research in women's health at Women's College Hospital is necessary.
Let us hope that as Canadians reflect on this tragedy we can find concrete ways to work toward the--