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Commemoration vigil honouring Alexei Navalny

Attendees at Alexei Navalny's vigil laying out flowers, candles, and photos of the Russian opposition leader in his memory. Photo by Olivia Integlia / The Concordian

Hundreds gather to remember the Russian opposition leader.

On Sunday March 17, hundreds of Montrealers gathered at the Christ Church Cathedral located on St. Catherine West in honour of Alexei Navalny, a lawyer and the leader of the Russian opposition party. 

Navalny, 47, died while incarcerated in a remote Arctic penal colony, northeast of Moscow on Feb. 16. He was best known for publicly criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. Since 2011, Navalny has actively denounced corruption in Russian politics. 

Organized by the Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance (RCDA), a non-government organization whose mission is to provide a space for Russian Canadians to advocate for democracy back home, the vigil allowed Montrealers to mourn and pray for Navalny’s family. 

Individuals were also encouraged to visit the shrine of flowers and pictures made for Navalny behind the cathedral, which will remain there for a couple of weeks. 

“We are delighted to be able to provide this unifying and neutral space for the community as we gather to remember a man who died in mysterious circumstances,” said Reverend Bertrand Olivier at the vigil. Many in the community saw Navalny as a figure who encouraged Russians to fight for a world where people could freely express themselves, he added. 

Well-known Montreal musicians, including Guillaume Sutre, Yegor Dyachkov, Elizaveta Miller, Maria Sourjko, Maxim Shatalkin and Miriam Sekhon were also present to perform in the background, as individuals went up one by one to light candles in honour of Navalny’s memory.

For many, Navalny was an example of a man who stuck to his convictions regardless of the consequences he repeatedly faced, said deacon ordained minister Leonid Dzhalilov who reflected on Navalny’s life at the vigil.

In 2017, Navalny went almost fully blind in one eye from chemical burns after being thrown green liquid in his face by pro-Kremlin activists. 

Years later, in 2020, Navalny was poisoned with a Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent, a chemical weapon initially developed in Russia. He and his supporters accused Putin of being behind the attack. Leaked recordings of two Russian spy agents admitting to there being a secret operation to kill Navalny, which was included in the award-winning documentary Navalny, further sparked worldwide outrage. 

After he recovered from the attempt on his life, he returned to Russia knowing he would face arrest. He was convicted of numerous charges in the following years. At the time of his death, Navalny was facing a 30-year prison sentence.  

“He was a very brave and honest man and his honesty was one of the reasons he returned to Russia,” Dzhalilov said.  “He encouraged people to vote for him, to follow him—he encouraged them not to be afraid.” 

Reverend Olivier also pointed out the significance of hosting the vigil on the same day when Putin was re-elected as Russia’s president for another six years. Western governments have since denounced the elections for being “rigged” and “undemocratic,” after the Kremlin announced Putin won 87 per cent of the votes. 

Putin’s reign will continue to impact Russian Canadians. Just on Monday, March 18, the RCDA received word that their organization was “considered a threat to Russia’s national security,” as stated in an Instagram post from the association. 

While the RCDA is consulting with lawyers about possible risks and consequences to committee members after this new status, their members continue to advocate against injustices in Russia, condemning the war in Ukraine and Putin’s colonial and imperial mentality, among many things.

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Montreal vigil mourns the death of trans teen Nex Benedict

Over 100 Montrealers gathered on March 1 to mourn and honour the life of 16-year-old Nex Benedict, who was killed after being attacked in his Oklahoma school's bathroom. Courtesy photo by Celeste Trianon / The Concordian

After the 16-year-old died following an attack at school, the Montreal community gathered to grieve and advocate for the protection of trans youth.

Trigger warning: transphobia, transicide.

“I have a question for Nex’s killers: how many more do you want to take? […] When will you stop treating trans lives as disposable? When will you stop treating Indigenous and Two-Spirit lives as disposable?” Trans-activist Celeste Trianon proclaimed to the crowd, “You’ve already got so much blood on your hands; they can’t get any redder.” 

On March 1, over 100 people gathered in Montreal’s Cabot Square to commemorate the death of 16-year-old Nex Benedict, an Indigenous non-binary youth from Oklahoma. 

One month ago, on Feb. 7, Benedict was attacked and beaten by three girls in the washroom of Owasso High School in Oklahoma. On the day of the attack, Benedict was taken to the hospital by their mom, Sue Benedict, and sent home after assessment. The following day, they collapsed at home and were rushed to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

After a thorough investigation, the police ruled Benedict’s death as a suicide on March 13.

A number of vigils memorializing their passing have been held across Canada and the United States. Montreal’s vigil was organized by Atreyu Lewis and Rising from Our Roots, an anti-oppression community organization that provides funds and resources.

Despite the incident taking place outside of Canada, organizers of the event made it clear that Benedict’s death has an impact on Indigenous and queer communities worldwide. “I think it’s really important because we want to establish transnational solidarity with what is happening in the U.S.,” Lewis said.

“I think a lot of trans LGBTQ+ people in Canada really want to […] have that tangible action. Especially since it can be hard to do it on the ground [in the U.S.] because of all of the policies.”

Candles were laid out alongside the cement surrounding the signs honouring Nex Benedict. Courtesy photo by Youssef Baati / The Concordian

On social media, they emphasized the vigil aimed to hold space for BIPOC LGBTQ+ people in Montreal as well as to commemorate and grieve the death of their non-binary Chahta peer.

Attendees were encouraged to bring candles, lights, flowers, and sacred items. The vigil included a smudging ceremony; an Indigenous practice in which herbs and resins are burned to purify the mind, body, and spirit.

Since Benedict’s death became public, school officials in the district have faced extreme backlash. Oklahoma’s superintendent for public schools, Ryan Walter, has been adamant in his anti-transgender stance since being appointed to his role in 2022. Later that year, Oklahoma became the first state in the U.S. to prohibit the use of non-binary gender markers on birth certificates. 

The U.S. Department of Education has launched a federal investigation into the Oklahoma school district after the Human Rights Campaign filed a complaint.

Benedict’s loved ones reported that Benedict had been experiencing bullying for more than a year leading up to the incident. Their death has renewed the fight against the growing number of anti-trans bills in the U.S., which many queer advocates say played a vital hand in the teen’s death.

Lewis explained that attending protests, advocating for trans rights in policy, and ensuring spaces are accessible and diverse are ways to help protect trans-BIPOC folks. “Learn about the trans and queer people in your life and show up to support them,” they said. Lewis also mentioned Project 10 Montreal, which is a nonprofit community organization that supports 2SLGBTQIA+ youth.

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Support for Palestine maintained in new year

Vigil attendees surround an event organizer as they read a list of Palestinian journalists who have been killed in Gaza since Oct.17. Photo by Andraé Lerone Lewis / The Concordian

Vigil and weekly pro-Palestine protests held in Montreal.

At 6 p.m. on Jan. 11, around 100 people attended a vigil for Palestinian journalists in the Old Port. Organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement, the vigil was a break from the protests the organization has focused on in the past few months.

A volunteer with the Palestinian Youth Movement, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the event was “an opportunity for the community to come together and mourn after the deaths of several journalists since October in Gaza.” 

“The majority of our events since October have been protests. This is really intended for us as a community, to give ourselves a chance to honor people in between continuing to march and continuing to fight,” they said. 

They also mentioned the importance of maintaining support for Palestine in the new year.

“As time goes on, people might feel hopeless, people might feel like what we’re doing is not working. Our political leaders are banking on us getting tired and are banking on us eventually just giving up, and three months in we have proven to them that this is not the case,” they said.


Similar sentiments were echoed by attendees. Sarah Graham, a Montrealer and vigil attendee, said that it was important to show solidarity and support. “We’re all implicated in this. Our government officials are actively or passively supporting Israel, and I think we all have a collective responsibility. I don’t want to tell my grandkids that I didn’t do anything.”

Organizers set up a projection of video footage that included a list of 112 journalists killed, photos of the journalists accompanied by their quotes, and graphics calling for the liberation of Palestine.

At 6:30 p.m., a loudspeaker was set up and one of the vigil’s organizers welcomed the first of many speakers to address the crowd. A Mohawk activist drew parallels between Indigenous struggles in Canada and the genocide in Palestine before calling on attendees to join her for a moment of silence for the journalists killed.

After the moment of silence, the names of journalists killed echoed through the crowd. Speakers from Independent Jewish Voices, Students for Palestinian Human Rights, the Journalism Department of the University of Montreal, the Montreal chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement, and the McGill Daily spoke to the importance of journalism and the bravery and sacrifice of Palestinian journalists.

Sarah Shamy, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement, expressed, “It is really important to recognize that the aggression is getting worse and spilling over into the region. Tonight, we had news that Yemen has been targeted by the US with airstrikes for standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people,” Shamy said.

Another attendee expressed, “What we are fighting for right now is not just a ceasefire. A ceasefire is just the absolute bare minimum that we can accomplish.”

This vigil comes in between the weekly pro-Palestine protests that have continued since October 2023. At their latest protest on the afternoon of Jan. 4, thousands of protesters gathered in front of the Israeli consulate before marching downtown.

The Palestinian Youth Movement’s next protest is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Jan. 14 at 730 rue Cathcart. It will mark 100 days since the “Zionist-American aggression and genocidal campaign,” according to the group’s Instagram page. 

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Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal organizes vigil for MMIWG2ST+

Indigenous researchers blame the ongoing crisis on a lack of support for Indigenous communities

On Monday Feb. 14, Montrealers gathered at Cabot Square for a march in solidarity with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Trans and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2ST+) held by the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal (NWSM). The vigil began at 6 p.m. with Indigenous activists, artists and community organizers speaking out against the violence inflicted on Indigenous people.

MMIWG2ST+ is a phenomenon across Canada (and more broadly across the Americas) of Indigenous women and persons of gender minorities going missing and being murdered. This feminicide crisis is understood by researchers as a consequence of colonialism and police inaction when it comes to Indigenous victims. It is estimated that Indigenous women in Canada are murdered at nearly seven times the rate of non-Indigenous women.

Nicole Janis Qavavauq-Bibeau, the research coordinator for the Iskweu project at NWSM, believes that these figures are much higher. Qavavauq-Bibeau’s research has found that the actual numbers of MMIWG2ST+ are four times higher than the RCMP estimate.

“When an Indigenous woman passes away, it is often ruled super quickly as a suicide or overdose,” said Qavavauq-Bibeau. 

For Mohawk artist and activist Ellen Gabriel, this colonial vision of Indigenous women of all age groups comes from all layers of Canadian society. In a speech at the vigil, she mentioned how the Canadian government’s inaction regarding Indigenous people’s requests and the 231 Calls for Justice stemming from the National Inquiry’s Final Report into MMIWG2ST+ are the reasons why the current system is so reluctant to protect Indigenous women.

“When will you teach your children about the genocidal history in Canada, in Quebec, in all its provinces?” said Gabriel. “When is this going to happen? Because until this happens we are going to have vigils like this forever.”

Concordia’s Director of First Peoples Studies Catherine Kineweskwêw Richardson said this issue is on the minds of Indigenous scholars and professors at Concordia.

“In the scope of our program we educate students about the issue of MMIWG and I think we try to bring some issues in how the media talks about it,” said Richardson. “They never talk about who is killing these women.”

Richardson pointed out that the crisis is often framed as Indigenous women being vulnerable more so than focusing on the people perpetrating these crimes. 

According to her, one of the ways Concordia could help Indigenous women is by creating more opportunities for Indigenous students with policies specifically designed for their needs.

Richardson’s research echoes the words of activists who argue that colonial violence stems from all institutions that were built on a colonial system, like the police, social services, as well as schools and universities. 

“It’s a long term issue and if we don’t act to increase support for Indigenous students and Indigenous education, they’ll continue to fall off the edge,” said Richardson. “Like most universities, we at Concordia could be doing more to assist and uplift Indigenous students.”

Richardson pointed out that Indigenous communities, too, are finding their own solutions for educating youth. 

“We don’t look to the University to do everything but we could certainly do more to help,” she said.

For Richardson, some policies that could be implemented to help Indigenous students include encouraging them to go into graduate studies, building student housing, facilitating people moving from Indigenous communities to the city to study, and overall educating people around Indigenous issues. However, these solutions are slow to implement and the current administration is ill-suited to support Indigenous students. 

“I’ve stopped holding my breath,” said Richardson. “For every aspect of life at Concordia, they have to understand that Indigenous students have particular needs and we need to create opportunities.”

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Anti-Asian hate crimes spike in Canada

Following a mass shooting in Atlanta that targeted Asian businesses, Canada reckons with its own anti-Asian racism problem

Spikes in anti-Asian hate crimes have been reported all around the world, including here in Canada. Anti-Asian racism has been present throughout the nation’s history, and this year, the Asian community reports racial violence is becoming increasingly aggressive, especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent study outlined that over 1,150 incidents of anti-Asian racism were reported in Canada between March 2020 and February 2021. According to a report published by The Chinese Canadian National Council’s Toronto chapter (CCNCTO) and Fight COVID Racism, Vancouver has experienced up to a 700 per cent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes. 

In Montreal, there were 30 hate crimes reported between March and December of 2020, up from just six reported in 2019. Last May, a man of Korean descent was stabbed in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

In September, two victims of Asian descent were killed in a double hit-and-run in Brossard. A 30-year-old man has since been arrested and charged with second degree murder.

Police insisted the hit-and-runs were not hate crimes, but failed to explain why. Both victims were of East Asian descent; Huiping Ding, 45, was Chinese, and Gérard Chong Soon Yuen, 50, was Korean.

This year on March 11, a man of Korean descent was walking in the Plateau when he was attacked with pepper spray in broad daylight. Initially, police were not investigating the incident as a hate crime, although the victim considered the incident to be one. However, following media coverage, the hate crimes squad was brought in to investigate. The victim, a man identified as Nicolas, detailed that while he was carrying “the latest iPhone, the latest Apple Watch, the latest iPad and MacBook Pro,” but his attackers made no effort to rob him.

Days later on March 16, breaking news of a mass shooting in Georgia reported eight dead, six of whom were Asian women. A 21-year-old white gunman targeted three separate Asian-owned spas in Acworth and Atlanta. The shootings sparked outrage among Asian communities across the U.S., with protests held in Atlanta and New York the same weekend.

In the wake of that tragedy, Montreal community leaders organized a march against anti-Asian racism on March 21. Organizers led thousands of supporters on a three kilometre march from Cabot Square to Chinatown, stopping at Quebec Premier François Legault’s office on Sherbrooke Street. Activists demanded acknowledgement of the sharp rise in anti-Asian sentiment within Quebec. Premier Legault continues to deny the existence of systemic racism in the province.

Speeches made by leaders of Montreal’s Asian community outlined Canada and Quebec’s own colonial and historically racist treatment of Asians. Cathy Wong, councillor of the Peter-McGill district, spoke passionately of the racist history that the Asian community has endured.

“We march in remembrance of our history, as racism against Asians did not begin yesterday. It was not born from the pandemic. We march in remembrance of our history because our history is coloured by racist laws that excluded the Chinese — targeting our great grandparents, despite building railroads in exchange for dreams of a new life,” Wong said to the crowd in French.

Among the speakers was part-time Concordia professor Jinyoung Kim, who identifies as Korean-Canadian. Four of the six Asian women who were killed in Atlanta were of Korean descent.

“[It became] an immediate reality for me and for my friends, my parents, and everyone I know with Asian bodies in North America,” she said, before describing the threat of violence against Asians in the last year. “It’s been a year of fighting for justice, and it feels like nothing has gotten better.”

“I feel deeply the traumas that my BIPOC students go through,” Kim said, speaking of her Studio Arts students at Concordia. “I have heard stories from my students.”

The Atlanta shootings have sparked conversations about the fetishization of Asian women, with many activists citing the gendered violence and racism that Asian women face. In a press conference held shortly after the shootings, law enforcement officials said that the gunman confessed to the shootings, but denied racial motivations behind the attacks. Instead, the shooter saw Asian women as “temptations that he had to eliminate,” that he had a “sex addiction,” and that it was a “bad day.”

Following the Atlanta shootings, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement saying, “While we have made progress toward a more just and equal society, more still needs to be done, and the Government of Canada remains committed to this work.”

On March 22, New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh introduced the Anti-Asian Hate motion, which passed in the House of Commons. The motion called for the federal government to “properly fund” hate crime units across Canada, and make efforts to “identify best practices in countering this trend.”

But Singh echoed the sentiments of many, tweeting in response, “Justin Trudeau needs to do more than offer words, he needs to act,” in order to combat anti-Asian violence.  

 

Photographs by Christine Beaudoin

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Days of mourning for Montreal’s religious communities

Photo by Kenneth Gibson.

Faith groups commit to resistance in the wake of Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.

Montrealers of diverse backgrounds rallied with the Jewish community at memorial vigils across the city following a mass shooting that took place on Saturday, Oct. 27 and killed 11 people on at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.

The suspected gunman, Robert Bowers, is said to have shouted “all Jews must die” before opening fire on the congregation of worshippers observing Sabbath services. The Anti-Defamation League called it the “deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States.”

Dozens gathered outside the Montreal Holocaust Museum. Photo by Kenneth Gibson.

The following day, around 100 people gathered outside the Montreal Holocaust Museum for one of the city’s first memorial vigils. Mourners huddled under umbrellas as a mix of snow and rain fell on them. The scene was supervised by six police cruisers.

“I think it’s important to have a big gathering like this, to show that a lot of people are ready to come out in weather like this,” said Sam Hersh from the student group Independent Jewish Voices McGill. “To show we won’t stand for attacks like this on the Jewish Community, or any other community.”

Speakers at the vigil drew connections to the January 2017 shooting at a Quebec City mosque that left six worshippers dead, pointing out that a rise in anti-Semitism has paralleled a rise of Islamophobia and bigotry against other marginalized groups in society.

Kronick reads the names of 11 Jewish people murdered during a mass shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, outside the Montreal Holocaust Museum. Photo by Kenneth Gibson.

“They’re all due to the rise of right-wing populism,” said Hersh. “We’ve beat these forces before, we can do it again.”

Samer Majzoub, president of the Canadian Muslim Forum, a civil-rights organization, spoke forcefully against all kinds of religious bigotry and racism. “Again, people were shot for the simple reason of their faith,” he said. “We are all targeted, and this has to stop.”

As the rain poured heavier, Rachel Kronick, founder of the Mile End Chavurah, a progressive Jewish study and worship group, delivered a prayer called the Mourner’s Kaddish, traditionally recited to remember the deceased.

“It is a prayer that declares there is a source beyond us,” said Kronick. “That there is a great mystery that transcends hate, and transcends this world.”

On Monday, close to 1,000 people gathered at the synagogue of Beth Israel Beth Aaron, an orthodox Jewish congregation in Côte Saint-Luc. With a standing room completely filled, the crowd inside spilled out onto the steps of the synagogue and into the cold night air. People huddled in groups and watched the proceedings on a livestream.

For David Ouellette, director of research and public affairs at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) Quebec, the turnout sent a strong message.

“It reinforces something we know,” said Ouellette. “The vast majority of Quebecers utterly reject anti-Semitism and recognize the Jewish community for the many contributions it has made to Quebec.”

On Tuesday night, vigils were held on both McGill and Concordia campuses, organized by Muslim and Jewish student groups from both schools, alongside their respective multi-faith centres.

Rev. Ellie Hummel, chaplain and coordinator at Concordia’s Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre, said she

felt a numbness when she first heard about the attack in Pittsburgh, but it was ultimately replaced with determination.

McGill and Concordia students gather at the Hall building terrace for a memorial vigil. Photo by Kenneth Gibson.

“It just gives me more resolve to do the work,”  said Hummel. “We all ask the same questions. What can we do in the face of violence and hatred? What can I do to make the world a better place? That’s a question I bring everyday to my work.”

Perri Wiatrak from Am McGill, a Jewish student group dedicated to inclusivity and egalitarianism, said that the geographic proximity was particularly jarring to her.

“I know some people who had connections to the victims,” said Wiatrak. “I felt that in a way that was much stronger. This will impact the way I see any future incidents that I pray won’t happen.”

For students wondering what they can do to resist anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry, Wiatrak said that hearing marginalized groups and showing up for them is a good place to start.

Lynna Berdouk of the Concordia Muslim Students Association and Ashely Crouch, Inter-faith coordinator at Concordia’s Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre spoke at a memorial vigil at Concordia. Photo by Kenneth Gibson.

“The first course of action is, all of your friends from marginalized communities need to know that you are there and you are listening to them, and you care about their perspective,” said Wiatrak.

Photos by Kenneth Gibson.

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Montrealers honour Indigenous women

Demonstrator holds a sign that calls for “Justice Now.” Photo by Mackenzie Lad

Hundreds gathered for 12th annual vigil to remember the missing and murdered

Dreary weather wasn’t enough to stop hundreds of people from gathering in downtown Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 4 to honour Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women.

The two-hour memorial event, held at Place Émilie-Gamelin, was coordinated by the Quebec Native Women’s Shelter and Missing Justice, a grassroots solidarity organization focused on Indigenous women’s issues. Throughout the evening, there were speeches in both English and French from various activists and family members of victims.

According to a 2014 RCMP report, there were 1,181 cases of homicide or long-term disappearances involving Indigenous women between 1980 and 2012. In 2015, Statistics Canada released data suggesting that, while Indigenous people make up just five per cent of Canada’s population, they are the victims of nearly one quarter of all of the country’s homicides.

Chelsea Obodoechina, a representative of Missing Justice, spoke about these horrifying statistics at the vigil, noting that the issue extends beyond women.

Hundreds gathered to remember missing and murdered Indigenous women on Oct. 4. Photo by Mackenzie Lad

“This phenomenon […] is also affecting Indigenous boys and young men,” Obodoechina said. “And we keep them in our hearts tonight.”

According to the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), Montreal’s annual vigil was one of many held across the country on Oct. 4. The NWAC claims that, when the vigils were first held in 2006, there were only 11 held nationally. Since 2014, over 200 vigils remembering missing and murdered Indigenous women have been organized across Canada every year.

Ellen Gabriel, a Mohawk activist, also spoke at the vigil and reflected on the increased participation, noting that there were only 20 attendees at the first event in Montreal 11 years ago.

Despite the increased attention to the issue and the launch of a 28-month national inquiry in 2016, Gabriel reminded the audience that there is a long road ahead before Indigenous women—and Indigenous communities as a whole—receive justice.

“There are more [Indigenous] children in the child welfare system today than there were in residential schools,” Gabriel said. “Justin Trudeau recently gave a speech to the United Nations talking about Indigenous people […] but he’s presented no solutions on his part.”

Throughout the evening, attendees lit candles and some even brandished signs with phrases including “Justice For Our Women and Girls” and “Sisters in Spirit.” One speaker at the event asked those gathered to raise their hand if they knew a woman with the same name as some of the women who had been murdered or gone missing in Quebec since 1980. By the end of her list of about a dozen names, the overwhelming majority of the crowd had their hands up.

Vigil attendees raise their hands to show they knew a woman by the same name as one of the women who had been murdered or gone missing. Photo by Mackenzie Lad

Cheryl McDonald, a Mohawk woman whose sister, Carleen, went missing over Labour Day weekend in 1988 in Akwesasne, also spoke at the vigil. She talked about how Carleen’s body had been found several weeks later by a hunter. Although McDonald was visibly emotional while recounting the story of her sister, her speech remained hopeful.

“We, as women, have to stop hurting each other before we can expect men to,” McDonald said. “I choose to live and leave a trail of love behind me.”

While it may have been a night of mourning, the speakers reminded the audience that it was also a night of remembrance, resilience and hope.

“We will remember these women,” Gabriel said in her closing remarks, “and we will continue to fight.”

Photos by Mackenzie Lad

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Montrealers honour Indigenous women

Demonstrator holds a sign that calls for “Justice Now.” Photos by Mackenzie Lad

Hundreds gathered for 12th annual vigil to remember the missing and murdered

Dreary weather wasn’t enough to stop hundreds of people from gathering in downtown Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 4 to honour Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women.

The two-hour memorial event, held at Place Émilie-Gamelin, was coordinated by the Quebec Native Women’s Shelter and Missing Justice, a grassroots solidarity organization focused on Indigenous women’s issues. Throughout the evening, there were speeches in both English and French from various activists and family members of victims.

According to a 2014 RCMP report, there were 1,181 cases of homicide or long-term disappearances involving Indigenous women between 1980 and 2012. In 2015, Statistics Canada released data suggesting that, while Indigenous people make up just five per cent of Canada’s population, they are the victims of nearly one quarter of all of the country’s homicides.

Chelsea Obodoechina, a representative of Missing Justice, spoke about these horrifying statistics at the vigil, noting that the issue extends beyond women.

“This phenomenon […] is also affecting Indigenous boys and young men,” Obodoechina said. “And we keep them in our hearts tonight.”

According to the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), Montreal’s annual vigil was one of many held across the country on Oct. 4. The NWAC claims that, when the vigils first started being held in 2006, there were only 11 held nationally. Since 2014, over 200 vigils remembering missing and murdered Indigenous women have been held across Canada every year.

Vigil attendees raise their hands to show they knew a woman by the same name as one of the women who had been murdered or gone missing. Photo by Mackenzie Lad

Ellen Gabriel, a Mohawk activist, also spoke at the vigil and reflected on the increased participation, noting that there were only 20 attendees at the first event in Montreal 11 years ago.

Despite the increased attention to the issue and the launch of a 28-month national inquiry in 2016, Gabriel reminded the audience that there is a long road ahead before Indigenous women—and Indigenous communities as a whole—receive justice.

“There are more [Indigenous] children in the child welfare system today than were in residential schools,” Gabriel said. “Justin Trudeau recently gave a speech to the United Nations talking about Indigenous people […] but he’s presented no solutions on his part.”

Throughout the evening, attendees lit candles and some even brandished signs with phrases including “Justice For Our Women and Girls” and “Sisters in Spirit.” One speaker at the event asked those gathered to raise their hand if they knew a woman with the same name as some of the women who had been murdered or gone missing in Quebec since 1980. By the end of her list of about a dozen names, the overwhelming majority of the crowd had their hands up.

Hundreds gathered to remember missing and murdered Indigenous women on Oct. 4. Photo by Mackenzie Lad

Cheryl McDonald, a Mohawk woman whose sister, Carleen, went missing over Labour Day weekend in 1988 in Akwesasne, also spoke at the vigil. She talked about how Carleen’s body had been found several weeks later by a hunter. Although McDonald was visibly emotional while recounting the story of her sister, her speech remained hopeful.

“We, as women, have to stop hurting each other before we can expect men to,” McDonald said. “I choose to live and leave a trail of love behind me.”

While it may have been a night of mourning, the speakers reminded the audience that it was also a night of remembrance, resilience and hope.

“We will remember these women,” Gabriel said in her closing remarks, “and we will continue to fight.”

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A candlelight vigil for young Inuit women in Montreal

Women cry during a vigil for Siasi Tullaugak and Sharon Barron organized by Nakuset Sohkisiwin of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal. Photo by Kirubel Mehari

Activists, friends gathered in Cabot Square to remember Siasi Tullaugak and Sharon Barron

A candlelight vigil was held in Cabot Square on Friday evening to commemorate the deaths of two Inuit women who had been living in Montreal.

Roughly 150 people gathered to mourn the passing of Siasi Tullaugak and Sharon Barron, both 27 years old. Speeches were given by activists and locals who knew the women.

According to the Montreal Gazette, the women’s bodies were found two days apart, on Aug. 28 and 30. While Montreal police are treating both cases as suicides, many in the community are suspicious of the causes of death.

Caption: People gathered in Cabot Square in Montreal to remember Siasi Tullaugak and Sharon Barron. Photo by Kirubel Mehari

Nakuset Sohkisiwin, the executive director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, was the vigil’s lead organizer. “Many come to this city for a better life,” she said. “So we are here for Siasi and Sharon who came to the city thinking that they would find something better.”

According to the Montreal Gazette, both the women were from northern Quebec communities, Tullaugak from Puvirnituq and Barron from Kangiqsualujjuaq.

“[Barron] had a good spirit,” said David Chapman, the director of the multi-service homeless shelter the Open Door. “She would come in and give you a big hug, and you could see a kind of real liveliness in her face.”

“In the last year, she had moved to Dorval and was trying to make a break from life on the street,” he added.

As for Tullaugak, Chapman described her as “feisty.”

“She would not take flak from anyone,” he said. “She had a really strong spirit about her.”

Sohkisiwin said she was pleased with the turnout, given the vigil was organized on such short notice. “It was definitely needed,” she said. “A lot of times, when women go missing or they pass away, there’s no space for people to express themselves.”

Among those at the vigil was Concordia student George Lenser. He volunteers at the Roundhouse Café in Cabot Square and said, while he didn’t know the women personally, he had seen them around. “The majority of the community strongly believes it was not suicide,” he said.

Caption: A woman comforts her friend at the vigil in memory of Siasi Tullaugak and Sharon Barron in Montreal’s Cabot Square. Photo by Kirubel Mehari

According to Lenser, Cabot Square has been frequented by homeless Indigenous women for years. He said when the nearby children’s hospital was still operational, families from out of town who couldn’t afford accommodation would sleep in the park while their children received treatment.

Lenser and Sohkisiwin both expressed a lack of faith in the ability of governments at any level to instigate change for missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Nonetheless, Open Door intervention worker Jean-François Tessier tried to offer a positive message to those gathered. “I know it can feel hopeless out here, and it can feel like no one cares about you,” he said during the vigil. “But one thing I would hope that everyone who’s trapped in the streets out here can take away from this is that you are loved. There are people who care about you, and your life does matter, no matter how it may feel.”

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“No hate, no fear, everyone is welcome here”

Photo by Savanna Craig.

Vigil for Quebec City shooting victims unites more than 1,000 people

Abdelkrim Hassane, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubaker Thabti, Ibrahima Barry and Azzeddine Soufiane—those are the names of whom a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered for outside of Parc metro station. It was an act of solidarity against terrorism, racism and discrimination.

Abdelkrim Hassane, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubaker Thabti, Ibrahima Barry and Azzeddine Soufiane—those are the names of whom a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered for outside of Parc metro station. It was an act of solidarity against terrorism, racism and discrimination.

These six men fell victim to an act of terrorism committed at a mosque in Quebec City where many community members had gathered for an evening prayer on Sunday, Jan. 29, according to the National Post.

The demonstration, organized by the Association des Musulmans et des Arabes pour la Laïcité au Québec, began at 6 p.m. on Jan. 30.

“Tout le monde déteste les racistes, tout le monde déteste les racistes,” the crowd chanted, over and over.

Claire Caillat, a participant at the vigil, said the large crowd validated the fact that many Canadians and those living in Canada are strong and determined to fight against racism. “This is proof that racism cannot divide us,” she said.

Mohammed Ahmed, another participant, said diversity is an important component of what makes Canada the nation it is today. “Without it, Canada would be tasteless,” he said.

Photo by Savanna Craig.

“People from all over the world come here to contribute to society,” said Ahmed. If we separate Canada in terms of race and culture, Canada will no longer be Canada, he said.

“I’m not surprised that people support the Muslim community because a vast majority of Quebecers do not hold intolerant views towards these minority groups,” said Alex Tyrrell, leader of the Green Party of Quebec and Concordia student who attended the vigil. “It’s really a fringe element of society that holds these discriminatory views.”

Tyrrell criticized the media for providing a presence for and profiting off of intolerant, extremist, right-wing views. “They’re often writing columns against trans people, against women, against minority groups,” said Tyrrell, using the example of journalists Mathieu Bock-Côté and Richard Martineau. “They’re constantly fanning the flames of these issues.”

“I think that that’s something that needs to change as quick as possible because we see what kind of impact these have,” said Tyrrell. “There has been many other hate crimes that have been committed in Quebec over the past few months and years.”

Photo by Savanna Craig.

As some participants began to disperse around 7:30 p.m., many others gathered around a large red tapestry that read “Make Racists Afraid Again.”

“No hate, no fear, everyone is welcome here,” chanted thousands of participants in unison during the vigil.

Photo by Savanna Craig.

Sentiments of peace and acceptance filled the air throughout the evening, voiced by a crowd made up of all different races, backgrounds and religions.

The crowd later dispersed from outside Parc metro and moved East along Jean Talon.

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Montreal students show support for black lives taken by police brutality

Montreal students stand in solidarity for innocent black lives lost this year. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

Students unite at the end-of-year vigil for innocent black lives lost

Montreal students gathered at the McGill University lower field on Nov. 18 to honour the innocent black lives taken by police brutality this year.

Some three dozen students from Concordia and McGill held signs and candles to show their support at the end-of-year candlelight vigil, organized by McGill’s Black Students Network.

“We decide to [hold] an end-of-year vigil to show our support for all black lives lost unjustly,” said McGill student Charles Keita, one of the organizers of the event and member of the Black Students Network at McGill.

“We are students and we are advocating that black lives matter, and we are in positions where we do have a voice,” Keita said. “We’re trying to find the best mediums where we can use our words properly and reach out to other people.”

The Black Students Network hosts a variety of panels and discussions where students can speak about black culture, as well as raise awareness about the black lives that have been lost to police violence. The association aims to raise awareness for minority groups and promote that all lives matter equally.

The Black Students Network at McGill is open to all members of the Montreal community, said Keita. “We encourage students from all universities to get involved and people of different backgrounds,” he said. “We’re trying to enrich the community with knowledge on the issues.” In response to the recent U.S. presidential election and the publicized deaths on social media of African Americans who have lost their lives to police brutality, the Black Students Network invited Montrealers to come together to mourn and heal from the losses.

“We wanted to give a voice to those who have been oppressed,” said Elisa Nganiet, an economics and international relations student at McGill. She said she had felt personally affected by Trump’s win and minority groups being put down during his presidential campaign.

Nganiet said there have been a number of vigils held this year to commemorate police deaths. “We felt that we should do the same for the black lives lost,” she added.

She said she was grateful for students who attended and was pleased with the great turnout of the outdoor event.

“Progress isn’t just a one way thing—it’s a road and it’s great to know students are coming out and that they will for future events as well,” he said.

Students can like the Black Students Network Facebook page to be kept up to date on what the group is doing and how students can get involved.

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Montreal hosts seventh annual police brutality vigil

Those affected by police killings and those in support of justice for police brutality gathered outside Montreal’s police union office in the Plateau. Photo by Megan Hunt.

The event honoured all killed by police, but drew on nine specific police deaths in Quebec

On Saturday, Oct. 22, the Justice for Victims of Police Killings Coalition held its seventh annual vigil to commemorate victims of police brutality. The coalition—which consists of friends and family members of eight Canadians who have died as the result of police altercations—and a group of supporters met outside the Fraternité des policiers et policières de Montréal, Montreal’s police union office in the Plateau-Mont-Royal.

The vigil, which purposely coincided with the National Day of Protest in the United States, honoured all victims of police violence, but focused on nine deaths that have occurred in Quebec since the implementation of the Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) in June 2016. The BEI was created with the intention of providing objective investigations after shootings and other violent police interventions, but coalition members condemned the organization as “police investigating police.” According to the coalition, eight out of those nine killed were “in crisis,” and instead of being helped by the police, they were killed.  In a group statement, the coalition claimed that, “half of the BEI is made up of ex-cops as well as civilians employed by police forces. Almost all the members are white men.”

Speakers at the vigil shared their personal experiences—including Bridget Tolley and Julie Matson, both of whom have lost a parent to police violence. Matson shared harrowing details about the death of her father, Ben Matson. According to Matson, her father was killed by police in 2002 over what she described as a “mild parking dispute” with an off-duty officer. Although the dispute was resolved before police arrived, Ben was chased into an alley by armed officers, beaten and held in prone position—a dangerous position that left him unable to move his body and struggling to breathe, which led to his death by asphyxiation.

Tolley also shared her experience with police violence and injustice. In 2001, her mother, Gladys, was killed by a police cruiser. Tolley claims that the investigative officers did not arrive on scene until eight hours after the accident, and that a coroner never saw her mother’s body. The officer leading the investigation was the brother of the officer responsible for Gladys’ death, Tolley said.

“The case was closed three months after the accident,” Tolley said. “Nobody was notified [about the case closing] until a reporter told me thirteen months later … This is big time conflict of interest. I don’t know what else to say.”

After the vigil, Tolley discussed the financial barriers for families seeking justice. “We don’t have millions of dollars for lawyers. It cost $1000 just to file a police report,” she said. “Families don’t all have the resources [for a lawsuit].”

According to the group’s official statement regarding the event on Facebook, the goal of the coalition and their annual vigil is to commemorate those lost, support the families of victims and call for truly independent, unbiased investigations of police killings.

“All we are asking for is the truth, for the wrongdoings to be fixed, so that we can all live together,” Tolley said. “We’re all human here.”

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