Violence against women, then and now: Lakehead University students remember Montreal Massacre

Students and faculty at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont., marked the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre with a small vigil beginning at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Organizers' goal this year was to be more "reflective," said Sherrie-Lee Petrie, the coordinator of the university's Gender Equity Centre..

"Am I optimistic about where things are with gender-based violence right now? Maybe not, but if I have no space to be hopeful, if I have no space to think there is a way forward, then what's the point?," she said.

The vigil was structured in a way to both honour the 14 women killed at École Polytechnique on Dec. 6, 1989, but also acknowledge that violence against women remains a problem today.

'Pain was in vain' if nothing changes

"Although this particular massacre happened some time ago, there are a lot of things we're seeing right now, particularly with Indigenous women in our area," said Petrie.

Families from First Nations communities across northern Ontario shared their stories during public hearings in Thunder Bay as part of the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) on Dec. 4 and 5. Wednesday's session was private and closed to the media.

• 'It broke my heart': Mother's call for 'justice' opens Thunder Bay MMIWG hearings

• 3 sisters, 3 violent deaths: Family tells their stories at Thunder Bay MMIWG hearing

• 'A history of trauma': Families of 2 missing women from Ontario First Nation address Thunder Bay MMIWG hearing

Speakers at the on-campus vigil included the Aboriginal Awareness Student Centre assistant, a representative from the Engineering Students Society to discuss what's changing for women in engineering, and a women's studies professor to talk about what things look like "moving forward," said Petrie.

"Something that I've acknowledged for myself, from my own experiences of trauma, is that, if I never move forward, then the pain was kind of in vain," said Petrie.

"For me, if we're not moving forward, then all is lost."