On December 6, 1989, Marc Lépine burst into a classroom at École Politechnique in Montreal armed with a Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle. After separating the men and women and making a pronouncement that he was "fighting feminism," he shot all nine women in the room killing six.
He then moved methodically through the building for nearly 20 terrifying minutes shooting 15 more women and four men. In all, 14 women died that infamous afternoon 23 years ago. When he was done, Lépine took his own life as well.
For horrified Canadians, the "Montreal Massacre" and December 6 immediately became symbols of the entrenched societal problem of violence against women. In 1991, the day was designated the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
Last week, the Yorkton Partnership Against Violence Committee (PAVC) commemorated the day with a candlelight vigil entitled "Voices of the Future: Spotlight on Children and Youth Who Experience Violence and Those Who Support Them."
Marc Lépine was himself a victim of childhood violence. His father, who was contemptuous of women, physically and verbally abused Lépine (then-Gamil Gharbi) and his mother until his parents separated when he was seven.
Lépine was fairly typical of mass murderers.
"Mass killers tend to be profoundly frustrated and despondent over life's disappointments, isolated from family and friends who might be in a position to provide comfort and support, and see themselves as the victim of undeserved mistreatment and unfairness," wrote James Alan Fox, a researcher at Northeastern University who has studied the subject for more than 30 years. "For them, the act of murder against certain people seen as responsible for their misfortune, if not against a corrupt society in general, is justified."
It is a common theme from École Politechnique to Columbine High School to the recent Colorado theatre massacre.
It is a theme that did not go unheeded by the Yorkton PAVC. Thursday night's vigil focussed on abuse and bullying. Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit opened the ceremony with a heartfelt commentary on his own troubles as a youth and the dark thoughts they sometimes provoked.
Local students also shared their personal experiences with domestic violence, bullying and empowerment.
Lise Perrault-Streeter, a Registered Psychiatric Nurse with Sunrise Health Region's Mental Health and Addictions and organizer of the vigil, said she was thrilled with the event.
"I was simply amazed at the turnout," she said.
She also said public outreach is incredibly important.
"From a mental health perspective, when people are in isolation it creates a lot of dysfunction," she said. "We really need to reach out to people and make sure they feel supported."
