REVP Letter: 2012 National Day of Remembrance and Action

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Each year on December 6, National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, we honour the memory of the 14 young women at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal who were murdered in 1989 because they were women.

This year, the Conservative government dishonoured the legacy of these women, and the wishes of thousands more like them across the country, when they abolished the long gun registry and erased all of the existing records. In a press release the Conservative’s gloated about destroying the contents, saying the data can never be recovered.

At a time when we are still fighting to eliminate violence against women, the Harper Conservatives put an end to the service established to keep women safe. According to the Canadian Women's Foundation, 50 per cent of all women in Canada have experienced at least one incident of violence since the age of 16. Additionally, one woman is killed every six days by her intimate partner. The registry was designed to control this violence.

Even without it, however, we can move forward and work together to ensure that women in Canada are safe from violence. To do that, we must change attitudes and behaviours around violence towards women in our society. This includes non-physical violence, which can leave even deeper scars.

December 6 reminds us to do our part, each and every day, to ensure our community and our country is safe for all women and girls. Please see the attached list of December 6 events across the Prairies and participate in the one in your community.

• December 6th Memorial Luncheon (Winnipeg, MB)
  December 6, 2012, 11:45 a.m.
  Union Centre (275 Broadway) 
  Tickets are $20, and can be purchased at the MFL office (Room 303, 275 Broadway), or by calling 204-947-1400 
  Net proceeds will go to the MFL Women’s Memorial Fund. 
  There will be a silent auction fundraiser. 
  Please bring a “Tin for the Bin” (preferably ingredients for soup making) - in support of West Central Women’s Resource Centre. 

• December 6th Vigil (Regina, SK)
  December 4, 2012, Noon to 1:00 p.m.
  Crush Space in Riddell Centre at the University of Regina.
  Refreshments will be provided afterwards.
  For more information contact Kim Karpa, Women's Centre, University of Regina, Room 226 Riddell Centre, at wc@ursu.uregina.ca or by calling 306-584-1255

• Candle Light Memorial Service (Saskatoon, SK)
  December 9, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
  St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan
  Refreshments and a light snack will be served. 
  For more information contact Nancy Johnson at nancyjo@sasktel.net

• AFL Commemorative Brunch (Edmonton, AB)
  December 2, 2012, 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
  Old Timers Cabin, 9430-99 Street NW (Scona Road)
  Cost: $85 per person, Contact: Linda Robinson at afl@afl.org or 780-483-3021

• December 6th Memorial (Calgary, AB)
  December, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
  Husky Oil Great Hall, Rozsa Centre, University of Calgary 
  Admission is free and open to the public 
  Speakers: Dru Marshall, Provost and Vice-President (Academic), UofC; Cindy Provost, Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Calgary Police Service; Jennifer Koshan, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, UofC; Kenya-Jade Pinto, Student Union Vice-President (Academic), UofC

In Solidarity,