Fourteen candles were lit in the B.C. legislature on Wednesday as a tribute to the victims of the Montreal Massacre.
Dec. 6 marks the 28th anniversary of the killing, in which a gunman shot 14 women dead and injured 14 others at the École Polytechnique.
The victims were targeted for being female engineering students.
NDP MLA Bowinn Ma, an engineer herself, said like many others she has been affected by harassment and assault.
WATCH: Trudeau holds remembrance ceremony for 14 victims of École Polytechnique shooting
She said society still has a long way to go when it comes to addressing violence against women.
“It is extremely unfortunate how slowly we’ve moved on this issue,” Ma said.
“But I am so glad that more people are using their positions of power and privileged to speak up on behalf of those who maybe do not have the same ability to do so.”
Ceremonies to honour the victims of the shooting were planned in cities across Canada on Wednesday.
A pair of official events involving the families of victims, dignitaries and the general public took place at the school itself and in Mount Royal Park in Montreal.