UBCO community members and guests gather around the 14 Not Forgotten Memorial.
KELOWNA, BC – Emotions ran high at UBC Okanagan’s 14 Not Forgotten ceremony on Friday, as attendees gathered to honour the lives of 14 women killed in the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre.
Through tears and heartfelt words, speakers reflected on how far society has come—and how much further it must go—in addressing violence against women.
North Vancouver-Lonsdale MLA Bowinn Ma, a UBC Engineering alumnus, displayed visible emotion as she addressed the crowd.
“It’s been 35 years since that horrific day, and yet here we are, still grappling with the same problems—violence, sexism, and systemic inequality,” Ma said.
“Even now, there are an estimated 1,000 physical or sexual assaults against women in British Columbia every week. These acts do not exist in isolation; they are part of a continuum of discrimination that persists in our workplaces, communities, and institutions.”
Ma also spoke of her own experiences as a young woman in a male-dominated field.
“As a new engineer, I was told that bringing up December 6 was ‘too political’ for the workplace. But I’ve come to understand that to be a woman in this world is political. And we must stand together to confront this reality, no matter how uncomfortable it makes others feel.”
Lesley Cormack, UBC Okanagan’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal, shared how she still remembers getting an anxious phone call from a friend who simply said, “They’re shooting women in Montreal.”
She spoke of the lost potential represented by the 14 women whose lives were cut short. “These women were brilliant, determined and full of promise,” Cormack said.
“They were on the path to becoming engineers, innovators, and leaders. Their deaths robbed us not just of their presence, but of the immense contributions they would have made to our world.”
Cormack urged attendees to channel their grief into action. “We remember these women not only for what was taken from them but also for the light they brought into the world. Their loss is a stark reminder that we must redouble our efforts to build a society where women can pursue their dreams without fear.”
With candles and flowers in memory of the victims, attendees joined in a moment of silence, many wiping away tears as they reflected on the tragedy and its enduring resonance.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is marked every December 6 across Canada. It commemorates the victims of the Montreal Massacre and serves as a call to action to end gender-based violence.