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1989 - THE MONTREAL MASSACRE
Although the events leading up to
the creation of 14 Days In December is based on something that
may be disturbing, it is important to recognize why it is so
important to have initiatives such as this!
The following article was taken from Gendercide.org! You can
visit their site for more information regarding this and other
events like it.
Visit
their site!
Begin article excerpt-
Case
Study:
The Montréal Massacre
Summary
The
Montréal Massacre of December 6, 1989, in which 14 women
students at the École Polytechnique were systematically
killed and 13 other students wounded by a lone gunman, is indelibly
imprinted on the minds of Quebeckers and others who struggled
to comprehend the worst single-day massacre in Canadian history.
Background
Since
the beginning of Québec's "Quiet Revolution"
in the 1960s, women had been making increasing strides in non-traditional
occupations and educational programs. In the 1970s and 1980s,
growing numbers flocked to the École Polytechnique, the
School of Engineering at the University of Montréal. While
most men in Québec and elsewhere accepted and even welcomed
these transformations, a minority felt themselves disadvantaged
by attempts to encourage women's new roles and opportunities.
One
of these was Marc Lépine, a 25-year-old Quebecker and child-abuse
survivor who, as an adult, was described by acquaintances as a
moody loner. Lépine had sought to join the Canadian Armed
Forces, but was rejected. He had also studied for admission to
the École Polytechnique, but was not accepted -- a decision
he apparently blamed on "affirmative action" policies
promoted by feminists and their sympathizers. In the suicide note
he would leave on his body, Lépine provided some insights
into the virulent mindset that fuelled his rage against women
and feminists:
"Please
note that if I am committing suicide today ... it is not for
economic reasons ... but for political reasons. For I have decided
to send Ad Patres [Latin: "to the fathers"] the feminists
who have ruined my life. ... The feminists always have a talent
for enraging me. They want to retain the advantages of being
women ... while trying to grab those of men. ... They are so
opportunistic that they neglect to profit from the knowledge
accumulated by men throughout the ages. They always try to misrepresent
them every time they can."
Attached
to the letter was a list of 19 prominent Québec women
in non-traditional occupations, including the province's first
woman firefighter and police captain. Beneath the list Lépine
wrote: "[These women] nearly died today. The lack of time
(because I started too late) has allowed these radical feminists
to survive." It was, instead, dozens of ordinary women
at the École Polytechnique who would bear the brunt of
his fury.
The
act of gendercide
On
the evening of December 6, 1989, shortly after 5 o'clock on
the penultimate day of classes before the Christmas holidays,
Lépine carried a concealed Sturm Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic
rifle into the École Polytechnique. His first female
victim, Maryse Laganiere, was killed in a corridor. He then
proceeded to Room 303, a classroom which held 10 women students
and 48 men, along with a male professor. Firing two shots into
the ceiling and shouting, "I want the women. I hate feminists!,"
Lépine enacted a gendercidal ritual that will be familiar
to readers of other case-studies on this site (Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Colombia) -- only this time, the victims were female. Separating
the men from the women, he expelled the men at gunpoint, lined
up the remaining women students against the wall, and began
to fire. Six women died; the others were injured, but survived.
"Then,
Lépine went down to the first floor," wrote Maclean's
(December 18, 1989). "Firing at diving, ducking students
as he went, he entered the cafeteria, where he killed [Anne-Marie]
Edward and two of her classmates. Still on the hunt, Lépine
climbed back up to the third floor, where he strode into Room
311. Students, unaware of the unfolding tragedy, were delivering
end-of-semester oral presentations. 'At first, nobody did anything,'
recalled Eric Forget, 21. Then, the gunman opened fire, sending
two professors and 26 students scrambling for cover beneath
their desks. 'We were trapped like rats,' said Forget. 'He was
shooting all over the place.' Other witnesses said that Lépine
leaped onto several desks and shot at women cowering beneath
them. Four more women were killed. Then, roughly 20 minutes
after embarking on his rampage, Lépine took his own life."
By the time he blew off the back of his own head, fourteen women
lay dead, and thirteen other students were injured (nine women,
four men).
The
murdered women were:
Geneviève
Bergeron, aged 21;
Hélène Colgan, 23;
Nathalie Croteau, 23;
Barbara Daigneault, 22;
Anne-Marie Edward, 21;
Maud Haviernick, 29;
Barbara Maria Klucznik, 31;
Maryse Leclair, 23;
Annie St.-Arneault, 23;
Michèle Richard, 21;
Maryse Laganière, 25;
Anne-Marie Lemay, 22;
Sonia Pelletier, 28; and
Annie Turcotte, aged 21.
-end article excerpt
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1992 - FOUNDING OF14 DAYS IN DECEMBER BY
TRIAC
14 Days In December began in June 1992, when a cross section
of service providers from the Tri-Community Interagency Council
(TRIAC) formed a group to respond to violence in our communities.
The need for addressing the violence families suffer in our society
today and the further need to develop approaches to promote non-violent
living were identified as a high priority at the time. It has
now evolved into a total community project; all sectors of the
area are represented in the "14 Days" of celebration. Our title
has significant meaning for the founders and for our communities.
December 1st to 14th coincides with several dates to related to
our purpose - peaceful ways. Those events include: Advant, Hanukkah,
United Nations Human Rights Day and Police Week. The "14" comes
out of respect and recognition of the fourteen woman who lost
their lives in the Montr?al Massacre.
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1993 - LOGO & SAYING CREATED
In June of 1993, the original design and ideas for events
surrounding the 14 Days In December were created. The design was
by Lydia Klenk. It was of a woman holding her hands out, with
a peace sign on one side of her and the globe on the other. The
tag line on the design was "A Celebration of Peaceful Living
In Our Community." Later in the year, this was changed to
the saying that is still used today, "Gentle Ways Are Best"
Also within this year, there was a summer parade and t-shirts
designed to promote 14 Days In December.
Click Below to View Original Image
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1994 - LAKEVIEW JOINS IN & PEACE
CANDLES CREATED
14 Days In December grew by leaps and bounds in this year
when Lakeview School joined the initiative and have their very
own campaign. Another creation that year was the peace candle,
in which you take a small candle and wrap a piece of paper with
a peaceful saying on it, the candle was then to be burned with
your family to promote peace within the family.
Click Below to View Original Image
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1995 - PROMOTIONAL ITEMS CREATED & TREES
LIT
This year was the first year that there was a public tree
lighting in Lake Charlotte for 14 Days of December. Lake Charlotte
had tree lightings in the past, but they agree that this years
lighting would go with the theme of 'Gentle Ways Are Best'. Christine
MacDonald spoke with Mr. Ford Webber, whom in the past ran the
lighting ceremony at Webber's Store. She asked him if they could
use it as a '14 Days In December' event, to which they agreed.
Also in this year, more promotional items were created in the
line of bookmarks. Current versions can be downloaded here.
Click Below to View Original Image
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1997 - PEACE MEDAL AND TELEVISED FOR
THE FIRST TIME
On November 17, 1997, the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth
awarded its annual Peace Medal to recipient 14 DAYS IN DECEMBER,
an organization which promotes peace in Eastern Halifax County.
14 DAYS IN DECEMBER are known for their awareness raising
of solving conflict using gentle ways in Eastern Halifax County.
The purpose of the medallion is "to recognize the achievements
of individuals or groups in local communities who, without any
special resources, demonstrate in their lives and activities the
values expressed in the World Alliance of YMCAs 1981Statement
of Peace." ACCESS CABLE 10 has made a video involving local
people from Middle Musquodoboit, Sheet Harbour, Musquodoboit Harbour
and surrounding communities demonstrating their efforts in promoting
peaceful and gentle ways. This video was aired on Access Cable
Channel 10- December 4th 1997, at 5:25p.m, December 9th 1997,
at 6:00p.m, December 14th 1997, at 12:00a.m.
1998 - 14 DAYS IS OFFICIAL!!!
Halifax
Regional Municipality has proclaimed December 1st through to 14th
the 14 Days In December! Below is the official proclamation:
PROCLAMATION "14 DAYS IN DECEMBER"
December 1-14, 1998
WHEREAS the mission of the Tri-Community Inter-Agency Council
is to enhance the quality of life in eastern Halifax County. As
citizens and professionals who share a holistic vision of community,
we co-ordinate, facilitate, monitor and advocate for programs and
services within our diverse communities; and
WHEREAS the goals and objectives of "14 Days in December"
are:
1. To affect change of attitudes and promote discussion and
awareness of all forms of violence in the daily lives of individuals,
families and our social structures.
2. To educate individuals, families, community groups, our
school system, businesses and the health care sector on the importance
of an individual and collective effort to promote peace and non-violent
living.
3. To promote alternatives to learned behavior and involve
the people of
The community, hopefully leaving them with a renewed sense of empowerment
and tools to continue in the direction of change; and
WHEREAS "14 Days in December" is a celebration
of peace in our communities whose purpose is to celebrate non-violent
living by:
breaking the silence of violence
strengthening our peaceful ways of living; and
WHEREAS the Tri-Community Inter-Agency Council invites all
individuals, families, groups, agencies, businesses, all denomination
of churches, all schools and learning institutions, municipal, provincial
and federal government bodies to remember, to nurture and to protect
peace within ourselves, our homes and our communities during December
1-14, 1998 and throughout the year.
THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Walter R. Fitzgerald, Mayor of the Halifax
Regional Municipality do hereby proclaim, December 1st to 14th,
1998 as "14 DAYS IN December" throughout the Halifax Regional
Municipality.
DATED
this 1st day of December, 1998 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Walter R. Fitzgerald MAYOR
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1999 - THE PEACE CARD INITIATIVE, THE DOVE & LAKE ECHO JOINS
November 23 1999 marked the first time that the peace cards
were created. There have been many incarnations of these peace cards
over the years, all of which can be seen HERE. The newest version
can be downloaded for use HERE. Also this year was the first year
that the dove was used. The original design can be viewed HERE and
the new dove logo can be downloaded for use HERE. Finally, this
year marked the joining of Lake Echo into the 14 Days Initiative!
Click
Below to View Original Images From This and the Following Years
 
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2000 - GENTLE WAYS ARE BEST REACHES AMERICA!!!
This year marked something monumental for 14 Days In December.
We reached Massachusetts! That's right, 14 Days In December and
Gentle Ways Are Best has made it to America. The follow letter shows
how encompassing this initiative really is:
May 5, 2000
I was delighted to recently receive the curriculum materials "14
Days in December." My aunt, Sister Marie Gill delivered it
to me along with lots of praise. At this point in time, I have only
had an opportunity to sift through it superficially. It looks great!
I look forward to digging into it more deeply in the near future
and hopefully integrating it into our program here in Cohasset,
Massachusetts.
Sincerley,
Michael Gill - Cohasset Public Schools
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2001 - COMMITTEE GROWS!
In 2001, Hants County was added to the growing committee to
incorporate 14 Days In December into their school system.
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2002 - 14 DAYS IN DECEMBER RECIEVES HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD
In 2002, we were informed by Mayann E. Francis, Director & Chief
Executive Officer and the Human Rights Commission, that the 14 Days
In December Resource Committee was to receive a Human Rights Award
in recognition of our creative means of promoting and protecting
human rights. The Commission extends a Human Rights Award twice
annually to an individual or group in the community who has shown
and exemplary effort to promote, preserve and protect human rights.
It was presented on December 10, 2002.
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2003 - 14 DAYS COMMITTEE DONATES TO 'ONE WORLD, ONE HEART'
After the tragic events of 9/11, a publication was released
by the name of "One World, One Heart" which the 14 Days
In December Committee felt it related considerably to our cause.
While we as Canadians realized that the publication was in response
to the pain of the September 11, 2001 attacks, we as proponents
of peaceful living and alternative dispute resolution appreciated
their ability and desire to encourage people to move beyond pain
to healing and beyond confrontation to collaboration. Because of
this understanding, we decided it proper to send a donation to defray
the shipping costs on these booklets and wanted to thank SPS Studios
(located in Boulder, CO) for supplying them to our province.
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2004 - 14 DAYS COMMITTEE JOINS WITH JEDDORE MUSQUODOBOIT CAP SITE
TO CREATE SITE
Members of 14 Days In December Committee, as well as the Capital
District Health Authority, the Eastern Shore-Musquodoboit Community
Health Board and the Jeddore Musquodoboit CAP Site deemed it necessary
to finally have a web resource for the 14 Days In December. With
guidance from Cathy Leslie, summer student Jason Rogers and volunteer
Melissa Myers collaborated to bring this very site together.
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