NORTH GRENVILLE, ON - Mayor Nancy Peckford issued the following statement on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women:
On behalf of Council and the Municipality of North Grenville, we join with Canadians across the country to remember the fourteen women who lost their lives in the Montréal massacre in 1989. It has been over thirty years since a gunman entered a classroom at École Polytechnique Montréal and murdered fourteen women as an intentional act of gender-based violence.
On December 6, we honour, remember, and name each of those women: Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.
Municipal Flags have been lowered to half-mast in honour and recognition of this solemn day.
Council recognizes that gender-based violence continues to be a reality in our community and across our country. We know that incidents of family violence are still much too common - and many women in particular continue to face a heightened risk of partner-related violence and abuse.
We also recognize that in Canada, Indigenous women and girls, women with disabilities, newcomers, youth, 2SLGBTQIA+ and non-binary individuals, and those living in rural or remote communities are disproportionately impacted by gender-based violence.
As Mayor of North Grenville and Warden of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, I am committed to working alongside Council and County colleagues, community partners and staff, as we strive to create a space where everyone feels safe, respected and free from the threat of violence. We must be diligent and raise awareness, challenge stereotypes, and dismantle the systematic barriers that contribute to gender-based violence.
The Municipality of North Grenville provides annual funding to Victim Services of Leeds and Grenville for enhanced local community support. Residents experiencing violence in North Grenville have access to a dedicated professional at Leeds and Grenville’s Victim Services who can meet privately in person or over the phone and provide confidential feedback and assistance.
It is incumbent upon each of us to contribute to the creation of a society that rejects all forms of gender-based violence. That includes fostering a culture of respect, equality, and understanding. Our community must be a place where survivors feel supported, and where those who perpetrate violence are held accountable.
If you or someone you know is in need of support, please reach out. Together, we can create the conditions for families, schools, workplaces and a community that is free of violence.
- Victim Services of Leeds and Grenville |
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 343-264-2676 (North Grenville direct) | 1-800-939-7682 (Emergency line) - Leeds & Grenville Interval House 1-800-267-4409
- Naomi House 613-774-2838 (24/7 Crisis Line)
- Assaulted Women’s Helpline 1-866-863-0511 Text #SAFE (#7233)
- Assault Response & Care Centre of Leeds and Grenville 1-800-567-7415
- Family and Children’s Services of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville 1-855-667-2726
For more Information Contact:
Jill Sturdy, Corporate Media Relations Officer
613-258-9569 ext. 168
