Reflecting On The Montreal Massacre 30 Years Ago

Friday, 6 December 2019 07:20

Flags will be lowered at half-mast at nearly all locations in Woodstock and South-West Oxford today as part of the Zonta Says No campaign.

WOODSTOCK - Most locations in the Friendly City will be remembering the Montreal Massacre today by lowering flags at half-mast.

Chair Sheena Poole explains its significance, which remembers the Montreal Massacre 30 years ago today.

"Marc Lepine entered a mechanical engineering class at the École Polytechnique in Montreal and he separated the male and female students. He then instructed the men to leave and stated that he was fighting feminism and began shooting the women who stayed in the room. He shot all the nine women, killing six. He then continued through the school corridors randomly shooting women for the next 20 minutes and he blamed women for taking his place in the program."

14 women died from the shooting.

The Woodstock Police will also be lowering their flag at half-mast. South-West Oxford will also be participating to honour the 30th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.

Poole says they received approval from Woodstock City council last month.

"We also approached the South-West Oxford council and they also approved the lowering of the flags in their area as well."

This initiative is a part of the Zonta Says No campaign and in recognition of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. It is in partnership with the Domestic Assault Review Team (DART) Oxford to draw attention today but also to the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence.

Other initiatives will include orange ribbons around small white trees for the campaign as well.

Local Scotiabanks, CIBC and the County and Crown’s offices will be among those participating in displaying the small white trees, while hospitals and staff from various organizations in the community will be wearing orange ribbons to raise awareness to the international campaign.