Executive Council
December 6, 2006

The statement was issued by the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Minister Marks National Day of Remembrance and Action

I rise today to recognize December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, this day coincides with the anniversary of the death of 14 young women who were tragically killed on December 6, 1989 in Montreal.

They were targeted simply because they were women and had chosen to study engineering, a field traditionally dominated by men. I was studying social work in Ontario at the time and I remember that day clearly � the shock and disbelief over the senselessness of such a crime.

While we remember this tragic event today, we must also recognize that unfortunately, violence against women is still all around us. In 2006, 76 per cent of sexual assaults reported to the RNC were against women. Spousal assaults experienced by women tend to be more severe, occur more often, and cause more serious physical injury and psychological harm.

However, the statistics don�t often reflect the real tragedy of abuse and violence. Nellie Nippard is the face behind the statistics. In 1990, Nellie was stabbed by her estranged husband 33 times in the face, stomach, and back, slicing open her liver. Nellie was left for dead, but survived to become a powerful voice for victims' rights. She fought to get the federal government to provide money for victims to attend parole hearings. She has been credited with winning victims the right to read their impact statements at such hearings. She also played an important role in the creation of a National Office for Victims within the Department of Public Safety and Emergency. Nellie died in Gander in 2003 at the age of 54 after a 10-year battle with cancer. I have seen firsthand the incredible impact of Nellie�s efforts while working as a parole officer. Her actions have made a very real difference in the lives of many women.

So, this is also a time to reflect on what each of us can do to prevent and eliminate violence against women. We are now well into the first year of our Violence Prevention Initiative, which is a six-year $7.2 million commitment by this government to fight violence. The initiative is a community/government partnership to stop violence. There is a lot of good work underway by many people who are dedicated to this cause and I have the highest confidence that this work will make a difference.

As a memorial to those 14 young women, and to all those who have lost their lives to violence, the flags outside Confederation Building will be flown at half mast. In addition, I would like to acknowledge all those who are wearing purple ribbons today. This is an important symbol of remembrance to the lives that have been lost to violence, and the work that remains to be done to fight violence in our province.

2006 12 06                                  2:30 p.m.


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