DAWN Ontario: DisAbled Women's Network OntarioSudbury Women's Centre des FemmesSudbury Women's Centre des Femmes    

CALL to ACTION to STOP
a Women's Monument from being erected
in a Sudbury Graveyard

 

Update June 10, 2004
Sudbury Women's Centre - Press Release June 9, 2004
Here Marks your Grave


We need to raise the roof Quickly in order to stop this...

On April 29th, Sudbury City Council passed a motion to approve the erection of a women's monument in a local graveyard.

DAWN stands in solidarity with our sisters at the Sudbury Women's Centre des Femmes who oppose the highly inappropriate placement of a women's monument in a cemetery. If the City of Sudbury wants to honour women, then the statue would be better erected in a visible public place such as in the downtown core where City Hall is situated or at Bell Park!

The unveiling of the monument is scheduled for June 8, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. at the Civic Cemetery on Second Avenue in Sudbury as per an invitation issued by Francine Boudreau and Gaetane Pharand, Co-Chairpersons of the Coalition to End Violence Against Women.

Funding for the monument was donated through the Ministry of Northern Mines and Development as well as for individual community members. The Minister of Northern Mines and Development is Mr. Rick Bartolucci and his email address is rbartolucci.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org (new email address)


TAKE ACTION!

We call on all our members and allies, web site visitors, and others to write emails to protest the inappropriate placement of the Women's monument in a graveyard rather than in a prominent location in Sudbury such as at City Hall or a local park.


The other members of the Coalition to End Violence against Women are:

* Susan Bruce - Crown Attorney's Office (Domestic Violence Court) Ministry of the Attorney General
* Leslie McClosky - Greater Sudbury Police Services - Ministry of the Attorney General
* Ida Loftus - Honorary Lifetime Member - Retired from Ministry of the Attorney General
* Laura Houliston - Ontario Provincial Police - Ministry of the Attorney General
* Marie Andrews - Probation and Parole Office - Ministry of the Attorney General
* Francine Boudreau - Sudbury Family Services - Program Funding - Ministry of the Attorney General
* Lynn O'Farrell - Sudbury Sexual Assault - Ministry of the Attorney General
* Kathleen Hart - Support Link - Ministry of the Attorney General
* Ursula Sauve - VICARS- Ministry of the Attorney General
* Mary Carter - Domestic violence/Sexual Assault Treatment Program
* Gaetane Pharand - Le Centre Vitoria pour Femmes
* Olwen Lavoie - Children's Aid Society
* Linda Gerry - Public Health
* Liana Sauve - Victim/Witness Assistance Program - Ministry of the Attorney General
* Colette Prevost - YWCA Genevra House




 


The Sudbury Women's Centre des Femmes
324-F, rue Elm St. West/Ouest, Sudbury, ON
Phone (705) 673-1916 * Fax (705) 673-7176 * Email swc@isys.ca


Tuesday, May 11, 2004

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MAYOR



To the Honourable Mayor Dave Courtemanche,

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Sudbury Women’s Centre des Femmes (SWC), please allow the following “herstory” of our involvement with the Sudbury Coalition to End Violence Against Women as additional insight within the much public debate of erecting a women’s monument in a graveyard.

In 1991, the Sudbury Women’s Centre Executive developed a proposal that would bring together various community committees and boards who were working independently on initiatives to combat violence against women. Through this initiative and a grant from Canada Employment and Immigration a two-day workshop entitled “Violence Against Women: A Community Response” was coordinated. The workshop resulted in the formation of an “umbrella” group whose focus was on opening the lines of communication between sister organizations in a coordinated effort in addressing issues of violence against women. The SWC was the central contact for this group called the Community Action Coalition. At that time, the many sub-committees of the Action Coalition amalgamated to form the Sudbury Coalition to End Violence Against Women.

In 1996, Ms. Barb Garon and two representatives from the John Howard Society approached City Council for approval of one of three proposed monument sites. Ms. Barb Garon again, on behalf of the Coalition, approached City Council in 1997, 1998, 1999 and at every December 6th event coordinated by the SWC. It was only in October 2000 that the monument committee, among others, was resigned by the executive of the Coalition. At this time, the SWC withdrew its participation from the Coalition as it was determined by the Executive Board of the SWC that the Coalition was no longer representative of the voice of women at the grass roots level. It is the present Coalition executive who proposed and accepted the cemetery site.

The existing Coalition, as stated, does not include “membership from every organization that deals with domestic violence”. It does, however, have representation from 3 women’s agencies, Le Centre Victoria pour femmes, Sudbury Sexual Assault Crisis Centre (funded by Ministry of the Attorney General), YWCA/Genevra House; 4 “family” agencies, Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Treatment Program, Manitoulin & Sudbury Children’s Aid Society, Sudbury & District Health Unit, Sudbury Family Service and the remaining representing offices/programs of the Ministry of the Attorney General which include the Crown Attorney’s Office, Greater Sudbury Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Probation & Parole, SupportLink, Victim Crisis Assistance Referral Service, Victim/Witness Assistance Program and one honourary lifetime member previously employed by the Ministry of the Attorney General. Is this an accurate representation of women’s voice in Sudbury?

It is unfortunate that Le Centre Victoria pour femmes, Sudbury Sexual Assault Crisis Centre and the YWCA/Genevra House, representing “women’s agencies” have silenced their feminist principles in collectively accepting a graveyard as a final resting place to honour those women affected by violence. It would have been far better to continue the discussion then to compromise one’s principles and silence the voices of the many women we represent through our respective agencies.

For the many years that the SWC has, on behalf of the Coalition, lobbied City Council, we are appalled that the Coalition and its members would succumb to the political pressures of time in accepting a cemetery as a suitable resting place. With our many years of involvement, the Coalition or facilitator has never approached us for any additional input regarding the location of the women’s monument.

Given that the Greater City of Sudbury has a “progressive” Council that includes three female councillors, I would anticipate Council’s need to acknowledge the importance of having a women’s monument “in a visible place of honour” as did Vancouver, Toronto, London, Ottawa… These cities designated large portions of public parks and places in front of City Hall as ideal locations. There are many appropriate locations throughout our vast city; Bell Park, Memorial Park, Tom Davies Square or perhaps the new shelter location where a women’s monument could overlook the City of Sudbury.

The issue of violence cannot be hidden behind the steel gates of a cemetery like criminals in a cell. Those killed, those affected by violence, are not the guilty. Let the monument stand publicly for all to see, acknowledging those innocents hurt by its mighty hands… Let us not be ashamed, but instead stand fast, acknowledge and educate even the youngest of our citizens that all forms of violence will NOT be tolerated by women, by women’s groups, by our community or by our government no matter at what level. As depicted on the monument, let the symbol of the lighthouse guide women to places of safety within our city and certainly not to guide them to their graves.

Respectfully,


Monique Roy, President
on behalf of the Board of Directors of
The Sudbury Women’s Centre des Femmes


PRESS RELEASE

Sudbury Women’s Centre des Femmes
324 Elm Street West, Suite F
Sudbury, Ontario P3C 1V8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"I’ll put you in your grave..."

Sudbury, Ontario — April 30,2004 — She sat in my office silent and withdrawn. Baring the scars of past beatings and the bright purple bruises from the night before . Her youngest child sitting on her lap appeared tired and frightened. I asked myself, had she finally found the courage to leave last night or was it beaten into her? As we spoke of her situation, she described to me how she was certain that this time his threats were real. Her young son piped up; "My Daddy said he would put my Mommy in her grave ... then he kept hitting her and hitting her. She was crying a lot..."

Domestic violence is one of the greatest dangers to a woman's life in Canada; 1 out of every 4 women will fall victim to some form of violence by their intimate partner or someone they know by the age of 25. Every day of the year, women of all ages, women from all backgrounds, women are murdered or beaten by their partners.

It is shameful that the Greater City of Sudbury Council and its members find it fitting to honor women that have lost their lives to violence by recognizing it through a monument within a "graveyard". It is further shameful that a Coalition created to "End violence against women" accepts the graveyard as a final resting place for a monument that was intended to honor the very women they serve.

A monument placed in a graveyard is not a reflection of honor or an effective tool in the education of the issues surrounding domestic violence. Instead, a monument placed in a graveyard is an insult to the those women who are searching to find the courage to leave violent relationships in order to affect a positive change in their and their children’s lives.

The Greater City of Sudbury Council needs to take responsibility in their decision to continue to place the issue of Domestic Violence out of sight. It is unfortunate that the Coalition to End Violence Against women have swayed so far from their initial passion to have settled for a "plot" instead of a park..

I am pleading with my sisters to stand up and no longer be silent, to hold accountable the decision makers, who further victimize women by their misdirected deeds. This threat is real... they have approved the graveyard for your honor, be silent no more. Make your voice heard...

Barbara Garon Investing in Women’s Future Coordinator
Rose Menard Executive Director
Executive Board of Directors of the Sudbury Women’s Centre des Femmes

For more information contact:
Barbara Anne Garon
Investing in Women’s Futures - Coordinator
(705) 673-1916
Email: ncp@cyberbeach.net

 



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Page last updated June 10, 2004