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Decentralized Democracy

Member of Parliament

Dominique Vien

  • Member of Parliament
  • Member of Parliament
  • Conservative
  • Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis
  • Quebec
  • Voting Attendance: 66%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $88,640.78

  • Government Page
Context: House Hansard - 263 - Dec/6/23
Mrs. Dominique Vien (Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, CPC)
  • Dec/6/23 4:51:26 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her inspiring speech. On December 6, 1989, 14 female students were killed at Montreal's École Polytechnique. As they were excitedly preparing for their final exams and the holiday celebrations that were fast approaching, the unthinkable happened. These women, Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne‑Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Klucznik‑Widajewicz, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne‑Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St‑Arneault and Annie Turcotte, were murdered because they were women. How unspeakably cruel and horrible it is to think that a woman could suffer this fate just for being a woman. The murders shocked the nation and led Parliament to designate December 6, which we are marking today, as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. I was especially shaken by this tragedy. Those women were the same age as me. They were at school. They had dreams. They had ambitions. All of that was destroyed forever. Their journey ended, and mine goes on. They are always in my thoughts. Today, we pay tribute to these women. We also pay tribute to the women in Canada and around the world who have been, and continue to be, victims of hate and violence in all its forms. Thirty-four years later, this day is still necessary. Unfortunately, intimate partner violence, sexual assault and misogynistic rhetoric remain a fact of life. All of us have a role to play in eliminating these horrors. Everyone must work together, including the various police forces, municipalities, social services and, of course, all parliamentarians. I would like to acknowledge my colleagues on the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. These members, several women and one man, are accomplishing amazing work. We are fortunate to have an outstanding chair in the member for Elgin—Middlesex—London. Together, we are pulling in the same direction, as we work for women. In committee, we have conducted difficult studies on violence against indigenous girls and women. Some courageous survivors came to share their painful experiences with us. Our various recommendations to the government reflect their moving pleas. We owe it to them to continue our work. It is also important for people to be aware of the resources available to help victims escape violence. Help is out there. In Quebec, the toll-free hotline SOS Violence Conjugale receives more than 25,000 calls a year. Its staff are there to provide information, guidance and support to women who are victims of violence and, of course, to their loved ones. Hundreds of centres and shelters are ready to take in women. I would like to acknowledge two organizations in my community, the Centre-Femmes de Bellechasse and Jonction pour Elle. I want them to know that their work is very valuable. As the minister pointed out, education is a key part of the solution. Respect must be integrated and learned from a very young age. Everyone must understand that violence is never the answer. In an ideal world, women would be completely free, free from all fear and free from all violence. Women should not have to walk the streets in a state of hyper-vigilance, as we all too often do. They should be able to trust people and develop healthy, respectful relationships. Today we remember the victims of École Polytechnique, but women are making progress. Montreal's École Polytechnique got its very first female president in 2022, and two women have been appointed to lead two of McGill University's most prestigious faculties, specifically medicine and engineering. In their minds, they hold the memory of the victims, of course, but they also have hope. We have come a long way since that fateful day in 1989, but let us be clear: We still have a long way to go. Let us keep on working for these 14 brilliant young women. We remember them.
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