By Connie Knighton, Diocese of Algoma Social Justice Committee
Many of us remember the horror we felt when fourteen women in Montreal were brutally murdered. On December 6, 1989, a gunman entered the engineering school at École Polytechnique, separated the men from the women, declared his hatred of feminists, and opened fire. This unspeakable act of violence awakened Canadians to the crime of “femicide.” It had always existed—especially as it related to domestic violence and the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls—but for many, this tragedy shattered a dangerous national obliviousness. Sadly, femicide continues.
The 2018 Toronto van attack was also deliberate and gender-motivated. The perpetrator drove a rented van onto a busy sidewalk along Yonge Street, targeting pedestrians and killing 11 people (eight women, two men, and one woman who died of injuries years later). In his own statements, he aligned himself with violent, misogynistic online communities that promote hatred of women.
Across the Diocese of Algoma, from north to south, Anglicans need to be aware that violence against women is a growing problem. The Thunder Bay area has one of the highest rates of police-reported intimate partner violence in Canada. In April 2024, in “Cottage Country,” the District of Muskoka declared that violence against women was at epidemic proportions in the region.
The “12 Days of Remembrance” is an initiative of Women and Gender Equality Canada that starts on November 25 and leads up to December 6, Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. It commemorates the 1989 murders and raises awareness and calls for action against all forms of gender-based violence.
As part of this observance, the Diocese of Algoma Social Justice Committee has prepared a litany for use in your parish or personal devotions. Please feel free to incorporate it into worship on Sunday, November 30, 2025, or to pray it privately at any time during the 12 days of remembrance and action on violence against women (November 25–December 6). It is offered as a resource for reflection, lament, and renewed commitment to justice and safety for all women.
Connie Knighton BA, MTS, clinical fellow AAMFT (retired)
For the Diocese of Algoma Social Justice Committee
November 2025