Mr. Speaker, I join with other members in underscoring the significance of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Flags are flying at half mast and in a few moments parliamentary business will stop to mark the occasion.
Today is a day of remembrance and action. In remembrance, let us take a moment to remember the 14 women who died at the École Polytechnique in Montreal 12 years ago, killed simply because they were women.
Let us remember these women, and all women who have suffered because of violence, or who continue to suffer because of it today.
Out of this tragedy we have been given an occasion to focus on the violence against women that still permeates our society, the violence and threat of violence that women in Canada face every day at home, at work or on the street.
It is a time to assess our response over the past year and our progress toward eliminating violence from women's lives and to plan for the future. Today is an occasion to recommit ourselves to non-violence.