BCNU Encourages Continued Action to Prevent Violence Against Women

BCNU stands with all members in honouring the lives of 14 women killed in an act of gender-based violence on Dec. 6, 1989, when a gunman opened fire at Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, destroying the lives of 12 engineering students, one nursing student, and one employee of the university. Fourteen others were injured in this act of violent misogyny.

BCNU remembers these 14 women and honours their lives through its commitment to the union's mission statement: to protect and advance the health, social and economic well-being of our members and our communities.

Violence against women remains a serious problem across Canada and it is still a leading cause of workplace injuries. BCNU continues to advocate for violence prevention strategies and programs in all workplaces. In addition, the union is committed to supporting members and connecting them to WorkSafe BC's occupational health and safety resources.

On behalf of our members, we are committed to a genuine and just reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and communities. We support the calls for justice included in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and welcome the reaffirmation of these calls for justice in the recently published review of Indigenous-specific racism in the provincial health-care system.

You are encouraged to use #NDRAVAW in your online postings about this commemoration.