Editorial
As Canadians mark the anniversary of the horrific Dec. 6, 1989 Montreal Ecole Polytechnique massacre of 14 women this week, the battle to end violence against women in every province and territory, in small towns and in large cities alike, continues unabated.
And while the Montreal tragedy is now many years ago, the sad truth is that far, far too many Canadian women of all ages continue to face violence in their daily lives.
No easy solutions have been found to stop violence against women, but that hasn't stopped countless Canadians from working tirelessly to bring such violence to an end.
One of the latest initiatives aimed at ending violence against women is being spearheaded by YWCA Canada, the largest national provider of shelter services for women and children fleeing violence.
The organization's Rose Campaign calls for a National Action Plan on violence against women. The plan would bring together existing provincial and national strategies with the ultimate aim of creating national legislation. While the call comes 24 years after the Montreal killings, it is a message that Canadian and Alberta politicians should be hearing loud and clear in 2013.
According to the YWCA, a shortage of shelters has become a bottleneck in the effort to protect women from violence.
“Across the country demand for services and programs outstrips capacity,” said YWCA CAO Paulette Senior. “Affordable housing tops the list of what women need to leave violence behind and live safely in community. This is the big missing piece.
“Violence against women is a $4-billion problem in Canada. Each year, violence and abuse drive over 100,000 women and children out of their homes and into shelters. They face an uncertain future with a high risk of homelessness and poverty.”
Making emergency shelter spaces available for women in need is one hundred per cent about providing adequate resources for staffing and infrastructure. Canada is a rich and prosperous country that can and must do more to end this wholly unacceptable shelter shortage.
And, in the end, the people who are ultimately responsible for making those needed resources available are MPs and MLAs.
As Canadians mark one of the saddest chapters in the nation's history this week, there is no better time for elected officials to commit themselves to ensuring that there is adequate emergency shelter capacity for each and every women who needs it.
Failing to do so, without delay, is to insult the women who died on Dec. 6, 1989 and their families and friends who were left to grieve.
