the other press Kelly Parry kelly-parry@telus.net December 10, 2003 Christmas Events & { November 28—January 4 Magic Forest Christmas Train The seventh annual 8-minute train ride of Christmas displays for children and adults features all your favourite Christmas characters and many other sea- sonal displays. Bear Creek Park Train King George Highway and 88 Avenue, Surrey. Nightly 4pm—10pm For information call “604.501.1232 or visit November 29-January 2 Park & Tilford’s Christmas Festival of Lights The Christmas Festival of Lights is sponsored by Park and Tilford Gardens and the Rotary Club of Lions Gate. For information, call 604.984.8200 December 5-31 Festival of Lights A magical experience for the whole family! Be dazzled when millions of twinkling lights turn the centre of the Garden into a realm of sheer wonder. Santa is in his Workshop telling stories nightly until December 24 and his wizard friend Percival Spellbinder takes over from December 26 through 31. There's plenty of hot chocolate and seasonal goodies at Shaughnessy Restaurant. Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver. For more info: December 6 White Rock Christmas Sail Past Local clubs and marinas, deco- rate their boats and sail past White Rock pier where Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit White Rock. Saturday, 6:00 pm. Held at White Rock Pier. For more information call 604.536.6844. December 7—Monday, December 15 Breakfast with Father Christmas at Burnaby Village Museum Join Father Christmas in the Ice Cream Parlour from 10:30-12:00 for a hearty break- fast of pancakes and sausages. The children can whisper their secrets and wishes to this jolly old gentleman as they enjoy their breakfast. (Bring your camera to record this fun-filled event!) Held at Burnaby Village Museum in Burnaby. For information call 604.293.6500 December 14 Wild Bird Trust of BC Walk: Celebrating Winter Wonders Rain or shine Maplewood Flats Conservation Area 2645 Dollarton Hwy. North Vancouver. Wednesday, 10am—12pm For information call 604.924.2581. December 15 Christmas Backyard Bird Count Thursday. All Day Call the Lynn Valley Ecology Centre at 604.981.3103 December 21 The Huron Carole a! ¢ 2, Now in it’s 16th year, the Huron Carole benefit concert series returns to the Bell Performing Arts Centre in 2003! Well-known Canadian singer and actor Tom Jackson will trav- el across Canada with a collec- tion of Canadian artists to raise money for the Canadian Association of Food Banks dur- ing the Christmas season. In addition to Tom Jackson will be artists including Beverley Mahood, Brad Johner, and Amanda Stott. Support the Surrey Food Bank. Bell Performing Arts Centre Sunday, 7:30pm 6250-144th Street, Surrey For information visit January 1 Annual Polar Bear Swim at English Bay Come and watch or participate. A memorable way to start the New Year. Thursday, 2:30pm January 1 Penguin Plunge ey Panorama Park, North Vancouver Thursday, 12:00-3:00pm January 4 Polar Bear Swim—White Rock Join the locals in this traditional New Year’s “jolt to the system” Sunday, Registration begins at 10am, and the swim takes place at 12:00. White Rock Beach. For information call 604.536.6844. January 25 Chinese New Year Parade Held on the first Sunday of the Chinese (Lunar) New Year, this colourful display of Chinese arts, culture, and tradition attracts crowds by the thou- sands. Exciting entertainment program at the Chinatown Plaza and an evening banquet form part of this annual pageant. Sunday, Chinatown Plaza, Keefer at Columbia St. in Vancouver, BC. For more information email: info@vancouverchinatown.ca. Memories for Montreal Women Kelly Parry News Editor On December 3, in a moving ceremony at the DC New Westminster campus, stu- dents lit candles, presented roses, and remembered the women killed in the 1986 massacre at the University of Montréal’s LEcole Ploytechnique. This ceremony honoured the fourteenth anniversary of the tragedy and offered stu- dents a chance to gather, in loving memory, of all the women and children who have been victims of violence. “On that day the hopes, dreams, and wishes of these women and their loved one’s were destroyed in a matter of minutes,” said Julie Horncastle, Canadian Federation of Students Douglas College’s Women’s Liaison. “On that day, Marc Lepine brutal- ly mowed down 13 students and one staff member as a result of his misplaced anger and rage at the women who had stolen his place.” December 6, 1989, Lepine burst into a classroom at the Montreal university armed with an automatic gun. He ordered the male students to leave the room, then after shouting some barely coherent curses against feminists, he opened fire into the crowd of terrified women students. After claiming fourteen lives, he turned the gun on himself. Brynne Bourke, Canadian Federation of Students BC Women’s Liaison, spoke of the on-going fight of women against violence. She carried a message of “sadness for the brutality, celebration for the changes, and me. Page 4 e _http://www.otherpress.ca anger at the on-going challenges still faced by women victims of violence.” Bourke spoke passionately about the fight for social changes, equity, equality, acceptance, and peace. She pleaded with the audience to work with the “sisterhood to promote soli- darity” so that events such as the December 6 massacre will “never happen again.” Joel Koette, DSU External Relations Coordinator, presented a challenge to the men in the audience “to make a commit- ment to oppose the violence done by men.” His message provided reason and balance as he spoke about the misconceptions of vio- lence toward women shedding light on top- ics of genetic programming toward violence and the role of drugs and alcohol. “There are no excuses,” Koette said. “Its our fight. In our own backyards,” Laine Le Vecque, DSU Pride Collective Assistant said. Speaking as a women’s queer advocate, Le Vecque spoke of the increasing violence targeted toward transgendered individuals. Transphobia, the fear of tran- scending sex roles, plays a large part in cre- ating an environment of fear and potential violence for those seeking acceptance in our society. Forty attacks in the US this year show an alarming increase in violence toward women and those who identify themselves as women. “The College is committed to creating a safe environment and in responding swiftly to any act of violence,” said Jennifer Kirkey, DC Physics and Wenlido self-defence instructor. She shared a story of the rippled effects of the Montreal massacre on those that survived. “One man who lived later killed himself because of the guilt he felt by living. Later his mom killed herself because she could not stand the pain of his loss.” Kirky encouraged the audience to attend local memorial ceremonies and to continue the fight. Before the presentation, a poem called, Give Women Back the Night was read as candles and white roses were prepared for presentation. After a moment of silence, the names of each woman and the statements provided by family members were read. Candles were lit and roses were placed in a vase. The memorial stood for the rest of the day, with the glow of the candles burning in memory of those who were tragically lost.