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.