Message from the Governor General on the Occasion of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

OTTAWA, Dec. 6, 2015 /CNW/ - Every year, December 6 is a heartbreaking reminder of the horrible tragedy that shook our nation. In 1989, a gunman killed 13 students and one employee in cold blood at the École Polytechnique de Montréal for one simple reason: they were women.

Unfortunately, 26 years later, violence against women and girls persists. Such violence has no place in our society, regardless of its form or the motives behind it.

As we mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, let us take a moment to think about the victims of violence, as well as their families and loved ones, who suffer the collateral damage.

In Canada, there are programs and services available to help victims of abuse recover and to raise public awareness of the far-reaching impacts that violence has on a person's life.

I would like to thank the organizations, volunteers and all those fighting to end violence, and I encourage all Canadians to reflect on the concrete ways we can all help to eliminate violence.

David Johnston

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SOURCE Governor General

Media information : Josephine Laframboise, Rideau Hall Press Office, 613-990-9324, 613-668-1929 (cell), [email protected]