As the nation remembers the Montreal Massacre – 26 years ago on Sunday – local ceremonies took place as well.
The events mourn the loss of the 14 women killed at L’Ecole Polytechnique and raise awareness of the need to end all gender-related violence.
In Windsor, men and women gathered at an event held by UNIFOR Local 444.
"Although the 14 women that were killed over 25 years ago, 26 years ago, that’s the catalyst. The facts are it can happen to any one of us at any time or someone in your life is affected,” says James Stewart, UNIFOR Local 444 First Vice-President.
"Especially the Aboriginal women. There's thousands of them missing that nobody knows where they are. Nobody seems to have done anything to try and find them.”
At the Windsor event, the union workers also remembered one of their own, killed by an abusive husband. Her name was Mary Lou. They gathered at her memorial stone at the Windsor Assembly Plant.
"She was in a violent relationship and nothing was done about it. And one night she paid the ultimate price for it,” Stewart says.
A rose was laid at the ceremony for each woman that died.
