Toronto builds on the tradition to honour women

The temperature dropped to just one degree on the morning of Feb. 14, with fine snow falling on people gathered to take part in the March for Missing and Murdered Women in Toronto.

Police pressed the crowd back as it swelled and spilled over the sidewalk as the group rallied outside of police headquarters at 40 College Street. It was a peaceful and calm crowd who stood together to remember those many missing and murdered women who were sisters, aunts, daughters and cousins that were taken from their families through violence.

It was a sad day for so many. People took advantage of an open microphone to tell their stories. A granddaughter introduced herself and spoke in her Native language. She talked about a loss she had suffered many years ago. She said her participation in the rally and march was for her grandmother, who she then introduced to the crowd.

A feast was served to the women after the rally by the men. This tradition started in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside, where the original March for Missing and Murdered Women began in 1991, a response to the murder of a Coast Salish women found on Powell Street.

The feast component was picked up in downtown Toronto in recent years. The men in the community come together for this, garnering support from many volunteers who helped set up the tables and chairs. The seven men from the Apaenmowinneen Program at Sagatay were more than anxious to help with this task, as lead by the manager of the program, Randal Defant.
There were about 400 people at the rally and about 200 at the feast.