March honours murdered women

By KATIE SCHNEIDER, SUN MEDIA
February 15, 2009

Carrying photos and wearing the names of loved ones on paper hearts, dozens of people marched together yesterday in remembrance of murdered and missing women.

Joining Canadians in six other cities, 50 to 60 people, many wiping tears, walked through Kensington during Calgary's inaugural Valentine's Day Memorial March.

Cassandra Winiewski, 26, walked for her friend Melissa Munch, slain in Edmonton in 2003, as well as for other murdered women she never knew like Wendy Hewko and Tara Landgraf, both killed in Calgary in the summer of 2007.

"They should not be forgotten and the violence against them should not be forgotten," she said.

"This is so amazing, it's so powerful -- you can feel them all here."

Munch, who she described as "a little pixie" with a cute laugh, had been involved with prostitution at the time of her murder.

"She was my first best friend and she went down the wrong path -- the minute I heard about this I felt in my heart to speak for her," she said.

Scott Fiddler, 42, marched in memory of Landgraf, his friend whose cries for help were unanswered when she was violently sexually assaulted and slain in Ramsay.

"I'm here because I'm angry she asked for help and no one called the police and her killer is still at large -- I'm here because Tara is not," he said.

Organizer Suzanne Dzus said the march, which brought out members of Native communities and representatives from women's shelters, was a chance to raise awareness about the nationwide problem of violence and show love for its victims.

"They were mothers, grandmothers, sisters -- every one of them was someone's daughter," she said.

"Valentine's Day is about love and that's one thing that hasn't been shown to these women."

Alberta Liberal leader David Swann, who also marched, agreed the whole community needs to address violence against women.

"We need to be leaders in the community to the most violated and vulnerable because ultimately they are all our family," he said.

Because 1,700 women couldn't find space at the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter due to staffing shortages last year, more provincial funding is needed, Swann said.

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