Dozens of individuals gathered in downtown Yellowknife over the weekend to pay tribute to the victims of the 1989 Montreal massacre and denounce gender-based violence in the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.). The region consistently records one of the highest rates of such violence in Canada, a figure that has been on the rise in recent years.
The vigil, held in observance of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, saw a turnout of more than 60 people. Organized by the YWCA and the Status of Women Council of the N.W.T., the event commemorated the victims of one of Canada’s deadliest gender-based violence incidents. On December 6, 1989, 14 women tragically lost their lives in a misogynistic attack at Montreal’s École Polytechnique.
Mahalia Yakeleya Newmark, a Tulı́t’a Dene advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, delivered a poignant speech at the gathering. She emphasized the importance of recognizing Indigenous women beyond the label of victims, highlighting her own relative, Mariella Lennie, who disappeared in Yellowknife in 1991.
Yakeleya Newmark called upon the audience for information on the case of Lennie and sought justice for recent gender-based violence victims in the N.W.T., specifically mentioning Tara Carpenter, who was fatally attacked in Inuvik. Authorities had arrested a suspect, Kenneth Campbell, in connection with Carpenter’s case, with police categorizing the incident as a femicide due to its intimate partner violence nature.
Furthermore, Yakeleya Newmark urged anyone with details regarding Frank Gruben, a missing member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, to come forward. The event also featured Tineke Kippers from the Northern Mosaic Network, who addressed the impact of gender-based violence on trans and gender non-conforming individuals.
Keneisha Goulbourne-Buddoo, the board chair of the Yellowknife Women’s Society, emphasized the necessity of safe housing for women seeking refuge from abusive partners, underscoring the vital role housing plays in providing security and dignity. The vigil was part of the international campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
The ceremony concluded with a symbolic rose-laying tribute to the 14 victims of the Montreal massacre. Goulbourne-Buddoo stressed that while remembrance is crucial, meaningful action against gender-based violence must be a continuous effort, as violence persists despite the passage of time.