Okanagan College to co-host virtual candlelight vigil  

Okanagan College is co-hosting a virtual candlight vigil to mark the 31^st anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre.

In a statement, Okanagan College said while many activities have stopped as a result of the 2020 pandemic, violence against women is not one of them.Ecole

“This is why communities in the Okanagan and Shuswap are paying special attention to the 31^st anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre, in addition to the ongoing cases of missing women from the region, with a Virtual Candlelight Vigil on Dec. 6 co-hosted by a network of organizations and volunteers,” said the statement. In past years, communities in Salmon Arm and Vernon would use their home campus to host the vigils. This year, due to the pandemic, the event is being hosted virtually to keep organizers and participants safe.

Micki Materi, co-executive director of programs, Archway Society for Domestic Peace said the Dec. 6 anniversary of the Massacre has “come to symbolize the threat and reality of violence in women’s daily lives simply because of their gender. The potential for humanity is lost whenever a women is remembered. We must remember and then we must act to create a world where this does not continue to happen. We can start with a national action plan to ensure follow-up to the National Inquiry on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women’s final report’s calls to justice.”

Candlelight vigils in the Shuswap and Okanagan regions have grown in attendance throughout the years as more people learn how Indigenous women are more likely to experience violence than non-Aboriginal women – and as people in the community experience this tragedy for themselves. Since 2016, four women from Salmon Arm, Enderby and Vernon have gone missing: Caitlin Potts, Ashley Simpson, Deanna Wertz and Nicole Bell.

“While we know that this issue has been given national attention, we can’t forget that this can and does happen close to home. Events like this reaffirm our commitment to supporting our local communities,” said James Coble, Director of Student Services, Okanagan College. “Okanagan College stands in solidarity with families and friends of missing women, and know for many, this event can act as a catalyst for healing.”

The virtual vigil, co-hosted by the SAFE Society, Okanagan College Students’ Union (OCSU), Vernon Students’ Association of OC (VSAOC) and Okanagan College Aboriginal Services takes place on Sunday, Dec. 6.

At the end of the video vigil, everyone in the Shuswap and Okanagan is invited to light a candle of remembrance in their own home. For information and to watch videos the day of the vigil, go to www.okanagan.bc.ca/vigil. Given the difficult nature of the event, a special resources section has been established on the webpage as well, providing links to community services, interventions and crisis support.