December is an important month for unions and human rights in Canada. There are many special dates to honour and commemorate. On December 3, we join our members with disabilities and disability activists in Canada and around the world to acknowledge the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. On this day, and every day, we focus on the challenges and barriers that persons with disabilities experience – as well as their successes – in our workplaces, unions and communities.
UHEW strongly supports the agenda of the disability rights movement who are working to educate and advocate for disability justice at work and in our communities. We celebrate their successes and we join them and all people with disabilities to continue to work to remove all barriers to fulfilling their full potential.
On December 6, we commemorate a very sad and sombre day in Canadian history. On that date in 1989 14 young women were murdered at Polytechnique Montréal. They died because they were women. This act of violent misogyny shook our country and led Parliament to designate December 6 as The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
On December 6, UHEW joins all Canadians to remember:
- 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
- Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz
As we mourn their loss and remember their lives, we reaffirm our commitment to fight the hatred that led to this tragedy, and the misogyny that still exists today. We also raise our voices on this day to demand action by all levels of government to work collectively towards a Canada free from gender-based violence.
To show your support on December 6 you can wear a white ribbon, attend a vigil in your community or make a donation to a women’s shelter or transition house. We must never forget and work for change and that human rights are union issues.
We always love to hear from you. Drop me a line at the e-mail below.
Help us build UHEW together!!
In solidarity
Shimen Fayad
shimen.fayad@uhew-stse.ca
