Content warning: this message contains information about gender-based violence

At RRC Polytech we are deeply saddened by the news of the recent attack during a gender studies class at the University of Waterloo, which left three people injured and is believed to be hate-motivated.

RRC Polytech does not condone and has a zero-tolerance policy for any expression of hate on our campuses. On our campuses – and across all post-secondary institutions – everyone deserves to feel physically and psychologically safe, regardless of their sexuality, gender identity or gender expression.

Pride month is a time to celebrate the diversity of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and foster respect, understanding and advocacy so that everyone feels and is safe on our campuses and in the community at large. This incident at the University of Waterloo illustrates why it is critical that we continue to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything we do, providing opportunities for learning and to take action against hate not just in June but every single day.

We stand in solidarity with students and faculty at the University of Waterloo and their families and loved ones, who have been injured and impacted by the incident. Our thoughts are with you during this immeasurably difficult and heart-breaking time – our hopes are that those injured and impacted seek the care and supports they need to recover and return to their studies soon.

If you have been impacted by this news, we encourage you to access the supports available to you through the College and the community:

• Campus Well-Being Supports and Resources
• Homewood Health (Employee and Family Assistance Program for RRC Polytech staff)
• Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba
• Rainbow Resource Centre

RRC Polytech is devastated by the tragic accident that took place near Carberry yesterday afternoon. Our condolences and thoughts are with the families from Dauphin and the surrounding areas who have suffered unimaginable loss, and with those who are still in hospital receiving care.

We thank all of the first responders who rushed to the scene to provide care, and our health care workers who continue to offer support and care to those in hospital. 

On behalf of the College, we offer our thoughts to the families and the communities whose lives are forever changed and acknowledge that this devasting incident has wide ranging impacts. 

The following message may trigger powerful emotions, especially for people with lived experiences of victimization and violence. It is recommended that you approach this message when you feel safe to do so, and prioritize your mental health, practicing self-care as needed. RRC Polytech has created a list of supports and resources for your well-being. You can find it online, here.

On December 6^th, RRC Polytech recognizes the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Today, our flags will be lowered at all of our campuses, and we ask our College community to observe a moment of silence at 11:00am.

Thirty-three years ago today, a man with a gun entered Montreal’s École Polytechnique and killed 14 women, injuring another 14. His actions were not a random act of violence but a premeditated, misogynistic act.

Every December 6^th we are reminded that such heinous violence is not a thing of the distant past. The people killed that day could have been our contemporaries, our colleagues. They could have been our mothers, aunts, sisters, friends.

Today, we 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 and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewic.

Their lives were taken abruptly by a man who specifically targeted women in STEM. After entering a mechanical engineering class, he separated the nine women from the 50 men and ordered the men to leave. The women were shot, along with others encountered throughout the building.

Not only were these individuals robbed of their lives; their deaths represent a great loss to our society. Any life lost is a tragedy, and it’s particularly heartbreaking to think of what these students may have accomplished had they been able to complete their studies and contribute their talents to the world.

After December 6^th, 1989, women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals everywhere were made painfully aware that their mere existence was a radical act. As one of the victims proclaimed that day, they were not feminists fighting against men or marching to prove that they were better. They were women, studying engineering.

And while many may believe these violent acts are a thing of the past, we are learning more difficult details being shared regarding the recent murders of four Indigenous women in the Winnipeg community. Over the last 30 years, there have been over 1,400 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit (MMIWG2S), and the loss of these four women is a stark reminder of this ongoing endemic issue. We mourn the loss of: Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, and a fourth victim advocates have asked we refer to as Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe or Buffalo Woman, until her family is found. We extend our condolences to their families, and we stand with them, and advocate groups, who continue to fight relentlessly for justice and to end violence against Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit (MMIWG2S) folx.

December 6^th reminds us of the critical importance of embedding the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion into everything we do at RRC Polytech. Ensuring our campuses are safe places to learn and work is critical. It’s up to all of us to make sure that people of all gender expressions can come to school or work everyday, knowing their biggest stressor is an upcoming exam or project – not their personal safety. Ending gender-based violence means we must continue to uphold this commitment at home and in our communities.

The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is about remembering and honouring those who have experienced gender-based violence, and those we have lost to it. This day is meant for us to examine the power dynamics between people of all genders. It should be a time for those of us who hold more power to reflect on it – reflect on our privilege and how to use it for good. And then, to act.

The circumstances of this day can make us feel helpless. There are small but significant ways to honour the victims:​​​

• Wear a white ribbon. You can make one at home or order one online.
• Observe a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m.
• Attend a vigil in your community.
• Today and throughout the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (from November 25 to December 10), add your voice to the conversation and share the ways you are being part of the solution to end gender-based violence. Use the hashtag #16Days.​​​​​​​

Today is an important, but difficult day. If you need someone to talk to, all RRC Polytech staff have access to an Employee and Family Assistance Program through Homewood Health.

Let’s take care of each other.

Fred Meier, President & CEO