VANCOUVER -- On Sunday, Canada marked the 31st anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. In 1989, 14 women—many of them engineering students—were murdered and more than a dozen people were wounded in the mass shooting at Montreal's École Polytechnique that was prompted by the killer's hatred of women.
Abiding by restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ceremonies and services were held virtually.
The Ann Davis Transition Society in Chilliwack created a video that could be shared online. The group’s executive director Patti MacAhonic says her organization holds a service every year and “didn’t want this to be the year that we didn’t have recognition.”
That’s because 2020 has seen an increase in violence against women in domestic situations.
“(We’ve seen) extremely high numbers of crisis calls; they’re up 43.7 per cent,” MacAhonic said. “General calls are up about 33 per cent; people that aren’t in crisis but are looking, trying to make plans, seeing what’s out there. And our calls for counselling are up about 26 per cent since COVID.”
In Vancouver, the Pacific Association of First Nations Women has also seen an increase in the need for support services.
The organization’s lead matriarch Diana Day says the group started giving out food boxes in June to families in need. Since then, the demand has increased three-fold.
Throughout, December the organization will also be handing out 50 mobile phones to people who are isolated.
“Those women who are on the Downtown Eastside who don’t have a connection, who don’t have technology, we want to support them to make sure that they’re safe and that they’re protected,” Day said.
Premier John Horgan and Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity Grace Lore issued a joint statement Sunday morning to mark the Day of Remembrance. One section reads: “We are working on an action plan to help end gender-based violence in British Columbia.”
CTV News Vancouver reached out to the premier’s office for more details about the plan, but did not receive a response.
