by Marty Brown
Northern News Services

NNSL (DEC 11/96) - No Christmas candles were lit at the legislative assembly last Friday.

Instead, candles were lit in memory of 14 female engineering students murdered at Ecole Polytechnique, University of Montreal's engineering school, Dec. 6, 1989.

Flags flew at half mast as 300 people joined together in honor of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

"Everyone is affected by violence against women. We are all diminished, not just women on the receiving end, not just men the perpetrators, not just children watching.

" We have a responsibility to stop the violence," Ernie Soloy, an outreach worker at the Alison McTeer House for Abused Women, told the crowd of men and women.

Many left with mixed feelings.

The service jarred a student taking classes in the Women in Industry course at Aurora College.

"I came to gain awareness," said an un-named women.

"I came in memory of those women who died so horribly because they were students in traditional occupation," she said with a shiver, "just like I want to go into."

Some chose to criticize politicians.

"It's all very nice we have so many politicians here today," said Anne Lynagh. "They went south to protest gun laws but are thinking of cutting foster care and money for disabled people. I don't want to cheapen the event but...."

Heather Hay liked the healing circle when all participants joined hands.

But she said she isn't impressed with politicians who showed up for the service but did nothing to support women when they could.