Honouring Sacred Lives: Remembering and Committing to Change

We gather in shared grief and reflection, remembering the devastating loss of 14 women at École Polytechnique 35 years ago. These young women, with bright futures and boundless potential, were taken from us because they were women. Their absence continues to resonate in our hearts, reminding us of the deep and pervasive violence that still confronts women today.

We also gather with the understanding that this violence is not confined to one day or one event. It exists in countless stories—those we know, those we fear, and those still untold. Across this country, Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people have been subjected to disproportionate violence, their lives and voices diminished by a system that has failed them for generations.

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls did not shy away from the truth. It called this crisis what it is: a genocide. This is a truth we must hold, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. And we must also hold the truth that women are sacred, gifted with the ability to create, nurture, and sustain life itself.

In many Indigenous traditions, women are seen as the life-givers, deeply connected to Mother Earth. There is a teaching that reminds us of the sacredness of women: as Mother Earth gives life to all, so do women carry the power of creation within them. Their roles in their communities are vital, not only in bearing children but in guiding, protecting, and teaching.

When violence is done to women, it is not only an act against them as individuals. It is an act against the balance of life, against the sacredness of creation, and against the spirit of the community itself.

We must reflect not only on what has been lost but also on what we must protect. This requires action and accountability—from all of us, in every aspect of our lives. Whether it is addressing systemic failures, supporting survivors, or teaching the next generation about the value and dignity of all people, we each have a role to play.

We must also find space for healing. Healing for the families of those lost in Montreal, healing for the families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and healing for the deep wounds that this violence inflicts on all of us. Healing begins with acknowledgment, with naming the harm and honouring the lives taken. But it also grows through love, compassion, and collective action.

Let us renew our commitment to stand against all forms of violence against women. Let us carry forward the memory of those we have lost by demanding change. And let us hold close the teaching that women are sacred, for in their strength and resilience lies the strength and resilience of the world.