Mr. Speaker, today has been marked as a day of remembrance, not just in memory of the horrific murder of 14 young women at École Polytechnique, but to remind us of our collective responsibility to protect the innocent and vulnerable.
Violence against women also devastates the lives of those who loved them: their partners, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, grandparents, friends and neighbours. The circle of sadness and grief is infinitely wide.
The ugly echos of violence against women sound in the lives of far too many children. Violence against women is violence against us all because members of a society are interdependent.
On this day of special remembrance, I urge parliamentarians and all Canadians to renew their resolve to make the protection and safety of every member of our society a matter of utmost importance.