Statement from Minister McLean and Minister McPhee on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate Jeanie McLean and the Minister of Justice Tracy-Anne McPhee have issued the following statement:

“Thirty-four years ago, the lives of 14 young women were lost to a senseless and cowardly act of violence. A gunman targeted female students at the École Polytechnique de Montréal, killing 14 and wounding many others, simply because of their gender.

“Today we speak their names in remembrance: Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.

“Their tragic fate led the Parliament of Canada to make December 6 the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

“Femicide and gender-based violence remain an ever-present threat for women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada and internationally. In 2018, a man drove a van onto a busy city sidewalk in Toronto, killing eight women and two men. He later described hatred towards women as the motive of the attack. It was a stark reminder that we have a long way to go in addressing root causes of misogyny. Acts of violence towards women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people continue to happen everyday. In Canada, an estimated one in four women will experience physical or sexualized violence in their lifetime. Last year, 184 women nationwide were victims of femicide.

“Transgender women and especially transgender women of colour, experience some of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world: 321 transgender and gender diverse people were reported murdered worldwide between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023, and 94 per cent of those killed were transgender women or trans-feminine people.

“Indigenous women and girls in Canada are six times more likely to be murdered than their non-Indigenous counterparts. In the Yukon we take this matter extremely seriously. Our government continues to implement the action items in the Yukon’s Changing the Story to Upholding Dignity and Justice: Yukon’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit+ People strategy. The signatories and partners of the Strategy include all 14 Yukon First Nations, Yukon municipalities, the Canadian and Yukon governments, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and the RCMP. We strongly believe that the whole-of-Yukon approach will allow us to address the systemic issues that lead to gender-based violence.

“All of society must stand up to misogyny and gender-based violence. The solution must run deeper than reactive measures. We must reevaluate how we perceive and define gender roles and gender expression in our society. Perpetuating rigid gender stereotypes harms all genders but it is women and 2SLGBTQIA+ people who often pay the highest price.

“For those who may be experiencing gender-based violence, you are not alone. It is never your fault and there is help. Here are some Yukon-based resources:

Find out about the Sexualized Assault Response Team (sartyukon.ca)

The Yukon's Sexualized Assault Response Team (SART) provides a safe and confidential network of services that focus on your needs and choices.

24-hour support available at: 1-844-967-7275

Women's Transition Home (womenstransitionhome.ca)

Kaushee’s Place – Women’s Transition Home

24-hour support line: 867-668-5733

Resources — Dawson Women's Shelter (dawsonwomensshelter.com)

Dawson Women’s Shelter

24-hour support line: 867-993-5086

Find a women's shelter | Government of Yukon

Watson Lake Help and Hope for Families

24-hour support line: 867-536-7233

Canadian Mental Health Association Yukon

Reach out support line: 1-844-533-3030

10 am to 2 am, seven days a week and all holidays

Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre Women’s Advocate:

French services available on request – services en français sur demande

867-667-2693, womensadvocate@vfwomenscentre.com

Skookum Jim Friendship Centre Women’s Legal Advocate

https://skookumjim.com/programs/womens-legal-advocate/

A full list of resources can be found on End Violence Yukon

http://endviolenceyukon.com/

“If you have been the victim of gender-based violence, you can report it to the RCMP. Staff from Victim Services, Yukon Women’s Transition Home, Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre, and many other service organizations can support you."