National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women - December 6, 2026

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is observed in Canada every December 6 to solemnly honor the 14 young women murdered at École Polytechnique de Montréal in 1989 simply because they were women daring to study engineering. On that dark afternoon, a lone gunman separated female students from their male classmates, declared his hatred of feminists, and ended fourteen promising lives while wounding fourteen others.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women History

On December 6, 1989, Marc Lépine entered École Polytechnique armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a list of feminist organizations he blamed for his failures. In less than twenty minutes he murdered Maud Haviernick, Michèle Richard, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Sonia Pelletier, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte, and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz. He then took his own life, leaving a suicide note that explicitly targeted women who “ruined his life.” The massacre shocked Canada and forced the nation to confront the deadly consequences of misogyny.

Within two years, Parliament unanimously established December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The first official observance in 1991 coincided with vigils across the country and the launch of the White Ribbon Campaign, founded by men determined to speak out against male violence. Memorials soon appeared: the Nef pour quatorze reines in Montréal, Marker of Change in Vancouver, and plaques in universities and public spaces from coast to coast.

The day has since grown into a broader reckoning with systemic gender-based violence. Statistics reveal the horrifying scope: one in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence, mostly by intimate partners. Indigenous women in Canada face murder rates up to twelve times higher than non-Indigenous women. Each year, the observance highlights new facets (honoring missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, addressing online harassment, supporting survivors of campus assault) while never forgetting the fourteen whose names are spoken aloud at every ceremony.

From candlelight vigils to parliamentary statements, from classroom discussions to moments of silence in workplaces, December 6 has become Canada’s annual moral checkpoint: a day to measure progress, acknowledge setbacks, and renew the promise that no woman will ever again be killed for daring to take up space.

Why National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women Matters

Honoring Lives Cut Short by Hatred

Fourteen bright futures ended because they chose engineering. Remembering Geneviève, Hélène, Nathalie, Barbara, Anne-Marie, Maud, Maryse, Maryse, Anne-Marie, Sonia, Michèle, Annie, Annie, and Barbara by name refuses to let their deaths become mere statistics. Their stories of ambition and courage continue to inspire generations of women in STEM and beyond.

Breaking the Silence That Protects Perpetrators

Violence thrives in darkness. Speaking openly about femicide, intimate partner abuse, sexual assault, and harassment strips away shame from survivors and places it squarely on those who harm. Every conversation on this day chips away at the culture that still asks “what was she wearing?” instead of “why did he choose violence?”

Sparking Concrete Action That Saves Lives

Awareness alone is not enough. This observance mobilizes funding for shelters, pushes for stronger laws, trains police and judges, and teaches young men that equality threatens no one. Each policy change, each supported survivor, each prevented tragedy is a direct legacy of the fourteen women we remember.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women Activities

Wear White Ribbons and Light Fourteen Candles

Join thousands across Canada in wearing white ribbons throughout early December. At 11:00 a.m. on the 6th (the approximate time the attack began), pause to light fourteen candles or observe fourteen minutes of silence, either alone or with colleagues, classmates, or community members.

Support Front-Line Organizations That Protect Women

Donate to local women’s shelters, transition houses, or Indigenous-led organizations supporting missing and murdered women and girls. Many publish specific December 6 wish lists (phone cards, warm clothing, children’s gifts) so contributions directly ease survivors’ burdens during the hardest season.

Amplify Voices and Educate the Next Generation

Attend or organize vigils, film screenings, or panel discussions featuring survivors and advocates. In classrooms and workplaces, facilitate workshops using resources from the Canadian Women’s Foundation or Status of Women Canada to teach consent, bystander intervention, and healthy relationships.

Facts About Gender-Based Violence in Canada

The Montréal Massacre Remains Largest Targeted Attack

The 1989 École Polytechnique shooting is still Canada’s deadliest targeted attack on women based on gender.

Indigenous Women Face Extreme Risk

Indigenous women are murdered at twelve times the rate of non-Indigenous women and are six times more likely to be homicide victims.

Every Six Days

A woman in Canada is killed by her current or former partner approximately every six days.

White Ribbon Movement Born Here

Canada launched the world’s first White Ribbon Campaign in 1991; it has since spread to over sixty countries.

December 6 Now Part of 16 Days of Activism

The day anchors Canada’s participation in the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, running annually from November 25 to December 10.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women Dates