CFUW Southport invites community to Dec. 6 vigil

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In memory of the 20th anniversary of the Montréal Massacre, The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Southport Club invites the community to attend a 14-minute vigil at Coulter Parkette, downtown Port Elgin, Sun. Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. The vigil will honour the 14 women who lost their lives for simply being university students.

The Montréal Massacre of December 6, 1989 is indelibly imprinted as the worst single-day massacre in Canadian history. Fourteen women students at the École Polytechnique, the School of Engineering at the University of Montréal, were systematically killed and 13 other students were wounded by a lone gunman. Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, Dec. 6 has been officially designated National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

In the wake of the Massacre the Coalition for Gun Control was founded. The Coalition lobbied Ottawa for laws, in 1991 and in 1998, that would ban all semi-automatic, military assault weapons and short-barrelled handguns, and require the registration of all firearms and strict screening for owners starting in 2003. Also in 1991 the White Ribbon Movement was begun by a concerned group of Canadian men to remember the victims of the Massacre and to protest against violence against women.

About Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW):

Founded in 1919, CFUW is a voluntary, non-profit, self-funded bilingual organization of more than 10,000 women university graduates across Canada. CFUW members are active in public affairs working to raise the social, economic and legal status of women, as well as improve education, the environment, and working for peace, justice and human rights. CFUW is affiliated with the International Federation of Women (IFUW) headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with 180,000 members around the world. In 1998, CFUW received special consultative status within the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
About CFUW Southport

CFUW Southport was founded in 1990 and is a 62-member organization located in Saugeen Shores. The self-funded Club is committed to the pursuit of knowledge, the promotion of education and the improvement of the status of women and human rights. The Club annually awards three $500 scholarships to female graduates from Saugeen District Secondary School in Port Elgin entering post-secondary institutions.

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Friday, November 20, 2009