On this day, 35 years ago, 14 women were brutally killed at École Polytechnique simply because they were women. Each year, on December 6, in Canada we pause to remember those women and mourn all the women who have been killed due to gender-based violence.

Despite so many years passing, women continue to face alarmingly high rates of violence. Between 2011 and 2021, an average of 102 women and girls were victims of gender-related homicide per year in Canada. In 93% of these cases, the perpetrator was a male intimate partner or family member.

In 2022 alone, 184 women and girls were violently killed in Canada, an average of one every 48 hours.

Certain populations are at even greater risk of gender-based violence, including:

• Young women and girls,
• Indigenous women,
• 2SLGBTQIA+ women and gender-diverse people,
• Women living in Northern, rural, and remote communities, and
• Women living with disabilities

Together, we must remember and mourn those whose lives have been stolen by violence and commit ourselves to ending the ongoing crisis. CEIU stands in solidarity with all those affected by gender-based violence.

The rise of the right-wing and far-right politics, alongside escalating misogyny in Canada and the United States, is deeply concerning. However, we find hope and are inspired by the women who are leading powerful actions and movements for gender equality, justice, and an end to gender-based violence.

What You Can Do

• On December 6, join a local vigil to honor the victims of the Montréal Massacre and all those affected by gender-based violence
  
  
• Participate in #CEIU16Days of Activism campaign
  
  
• Take part in actions to raise awareness and encourage others to speak out against violence
  
  
• Push for education and awareness in your workplace
  
  
• Host and/or attend a workshop on gender-based violence through your union or workplace
  
  
• Demand safe workplaces: Advocate for gender-based violence prevention to be included in workplace health and safety agendas. Push for strong anti-harassment policies and training
  
  
• Empower diverse women and gender-diverse members to take on leadership roles in your union to drive change
  
  
• Donate and/or volunteer to organizations and shelters that help survivors of gender-based violence
  
  
• Challenge misogyny and discrimination: Safely speak out when you witness sexist or discriminatory behavior in the workplace or union spaces. Promote intersectionality and inclusion in all union activities.
  
  
• Engage in policy advocacy: Lobby for stronger laws to protect women and gender-diverse people, including better access to support services and harsher penalties for offenders
  
  
• Show your commitment to ending violence against women by participating in the White Ribbon campaign, which engages men as allies in the fight
  
  
• Remember and reflect: Take a moment on December 6 to reflect on the ongoing fight against gender-based violence and commit to being part of the solution. 

Together, We Can Create Change

By standing together we can honor the victims of gender-based violence and work toward a safer, more equitable future for all.

In Solidarity, 

Lynda MacLellan

CEIU National Vice President for Women, West

VPN SEIC à la condition féminine – Région de l’Ouest

Carolyn Locke

CEIU National Vice President for Women, East

VPN SEIC à la condition féminine – Région de l’Est

And The Canada Employment Immigration Union National Women's Committee