On Saturday, December 6, a community vigil was held in front of Hawkesbury’s town hall to commemorate the lives lost to gender-based violence. The ceremony took place on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, and honoured the 14 women killed on December 6, 1989, at the École Polytechnique massacre in Montréal.
The vigil was one of three organized by the Prescott-Russell Coalition to End Violence Towards Women, with the others taking place in Casselman and Rockland.
Organizers spoke on the importance of highlighting the voices of women, past and present, who continue to be disproportionately affected by gender-based violence.
“We gather today to remember the tragedy at Montréal’s Polytechnic School and the 11 women and children from Prescott-Russell, who lost their lives to violence. Their absence echoes painfully in our community, reminding us that violence against women remains a present reality,” Coalition member Marie-Noëlle Lanthier said.
“In Ontario, 40 lives have been lost to gender-based violence since November 2024,” Coalition member Sylvie Gravel concluded.
Hawkesbury Mayor Robert Lefebvre said, “We shouldn’t be gathered here today, but we are, because these deaths continue to happen. We are all here to send a strong message, very clearly and loudly, that we stand united against gender-based violence in our communities.”
Local firefighters, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers, and residents attended the vigil and were called individually to place a rose in memory of each fallen woman and child. A brief moment of silence was observed to honour their memories after the roses were placed at the commemorative monument honouring women victims of violence.
