I was 15 when the Montreal massacre happened. It changed how I see the world. – Jana G. Pruden Jana G. Pruden is a feature writer for The Globe and Mail and host of the podcast In Her Defence. The following is an excerpt from a keynote speech delivered to YWCA Edmonton on Dec. 5 as part of The Rose Campaign to help end violence against women and girls. The clock on the wall had just ticked past 5:10 p.m. It was Dec. 6, 1989. Eric Chavarie was at the front of the room, giving a presentation about heat transfer. There were about 60 students in the classroom, the last day of classes before exams. It was a cold day in Montreal. So cold it had broken records. A bitter, painful cold people would remember years later, part of the memory of the day. A man walked into the classroom. He