The Polytechnique Shooting
Thirteen years ago, on Dec. 6, 1989, an armed man entered Montreal’s École Polytechnique and went on a shooting rampage, killing 14 women and injuring 14 other people.
The motives of the killer—specifically targeting women—and the methodical nature of the killing shocked the entire country.
Five days later, the 14 women were given a national funeral.
The massacre resulted in a countrywide reflection about acts of violence perpetrated against women, and since then, Dec. 6 has been a national day of remembrance and action when it comes to violence against women.
A week after the shooting, The Link and The McGill Daily came out with a joint issue—a very rare thing.
“In the wake of last Wednesday’s massacre, some members of Montreal’s student press agreed it would be fitting to collaborate on a joint issue. Students from UQAM, McGill and Concordia have come together to put their thoughts and feelings on paper,” read the opening of the joint issue.
The issue features 10 articles in English and in French, not only focusing on the massacre but also on bigger issues of violence against women.
