Rankin Inlet (Dec 15/04) - The community hall in Rankin Inlet was lit with the soft glow of prayers for peace this past week.

A large crowd came out to Light a Candle for Peace in the Community on Dec. 6, a national day of remembrance and action on violence against women.

Dec. 6, 1989, was a horrific day in Canadian history.

On that date, 14 female students were shot dead at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal by a lone gunman.

Rankin joined thousands of communities across Canada in holding a special peace vigil and ceremony of remembrance.

Event co-organizer Gerry Pflueger said the ceremony exceeded her expectations.

She said violence against women is a pressing issue in Rankin and across Nunavut.

"We have lost two young women to violence during the past two years and there's a lot more going on in the community we just don't hear about," said Pflueger.

"It was wonderful to look around the room and see people who I know have survived violence and worked to change their lives.

"It's good for them to see there are people around who support their efforts to get their lives back on track."

The event was organized by a group of concerned citizens that included Pflueger, Michael Kusugak, Kathi Thompson, Veronica Tattuinee, Mary Lee Aliyak and Sgt. Grant St. Germaine of the RCMP.

Pflueger said a special effort was made to encourage young people to attend the event.

"A number of the kids came right up to us at the beginning of the ceremony and asked if they could help.

"We had them giving out stickers and greeting people as they came in the door and they did a wonderful job."

The six organizers spent time visiting the three Rankin schools before the event.

Pflueger said taking the time to let the youth know they were wanted at the ceremony made a positive impact on the students. "I went to Simon Alaittuq school with Michael (Kusugak) and the kids there brought up the fact it isn't only the mothers who get hurt when violence affects a family.

"The children get hurt too, even if nobody actually hits them.

"It hurts, as a child, to watch your parents going through that."