Media Releases

20 Years Later – Women have taken a step back under Harper

December 2, 2009
For Immediate Release
December 1, 2009

OTTAWA – Today, Anita Neville, the Liberal Critic for the Status of Women, joined her Opposition Critic colleagues to pay tribute to the fourteen women lost at École Polytechnique and to denounce the Harper government’s lack of action to combat violence against women.

“This week is a difficult week for Canadian Women,” said Ms. Neville. “Twenty years ago, fourteen women died because of their gender.”

On December 6, 1989, an armed man entered École Polytechnique in Montreal and opened fire while targeting only women. This tragic episode in our country’s history is marked every year by Canadians, including Parliamentarians who remember those who were lost with a moment of silence.

As this anniversary approaches, Opposition MPs in Parliament are also reflecting on the increasingly marginalized role women occupy in Canadian society due to Conservative government inaction.

“The Conservatives have had four years to combat violence against women,” Ms. Neville said. “But they’ve done nothing to address the core problems vulnerable women face.  We need only look at their orchestrated campaign against gun control, against the wishes of our police officers and all victims groups.”

Ms. Neville called for specific measures to address some of the root causes of violence against women:

• An effective and practical gun registry that covers all firearms

• An integrated, coordinated effort to combat violence against women;

• A National Housing Strategy, to ensure more affordable housing for women in need, including more support for emergency shelter housing; and,

• A full public investigation into the more than 500 missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in this country, including identification of the root causes contributing to these disappearances and government tools needed to curtail them.

“We must work together to address the many problems Canadian women face today,” Ms. Neville concluded. “This government, including the Minister of State for the Status of Women, is out of touch with the realities of women’s lives.  That’s why we’re here to call on the government to finally take real measures to help address these issues.”
OTTAWA – Today, Anita Neville, the Liberal Critic for the Status of Women, joined her Opposition Critic colleagues to pay tribute to the fourteen women lost at École Polytechnique and to denounce the Harper government’s lack of action to combat violence against women.“This week is a difficult week for Canadian Women,” said Ms. Neville. “Twenty years ago, fourteen women died because of their gender.”On December 6, 1989, an armed man entered École Polytechnique in Montreal and opened fire while targeting only women. This tragic episode in our country’s history is marked every year by Canadians, including Parliamentarians who remember those who were lost with a moment of silence.As this anniversary approaches, Opposition MPs in Parliament are also reflecting on the increasingly marginalized role women occupy in Canadian society due to Conservative government inaction.“The Conservatives have had four years to combat violence against women,” Ms. Neville said. “But they’ve done nothing to address the core problems vulnerable women face.  We need only look at their orchestrated campaign against gun control, against the wishes of our police officers and all victims groups.”Ms. Neville called for specific measures to address some of the root causes of violence against women:• An effective and practical gun registry that covers all firearms• An integrated, coordinated effort to combat violence against women;• A National Housing Strategy, to ensure more affordable housing for women in need, including more support for emergency shelter housing; and,• A full public investigation into the more than 500 missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in this country, including identification of the root causes contributing to these disappearances and government tools needed to curtail them.“We must work together to address the many problems Canadian women face today,” Ms. Neville concluded. “This government, including the Minister of State for the Status of Women, is out of touch with the realities of women’s lives.  That’s why we’re here to call on the government to finally take real measures to help address these issues.”