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{{Short description|Canadian mass murderer (1964–1989)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox mass murderer
| name = Marc Lépine
|
|
| alt = out of focus head and shoulders portrait of a smiling white man with unkempt hair and a beard.
|
| birth_date = October 26, 1964
| birth_place = [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]], Canada
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1989|12|06|1964|10|26}}
| death_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| known_for = Perpetrator of the [[École Polytechnique massacre]]
| cause = [[Suicide by gunshot]]
| penalty =
| date = December 6, 1989
| targets = Women at [[Polytechnique Montréal|École Polytechnique de Montréal]]
| locations = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| fatalities = 15 (including himself)
| injuries = 14 (including [[Nathalie Provost]])
| weapons = *[[Ruger Mini-14]]
*[[Hunting knife]]
| motive = [[Antifeminism]], [[misogyny]]
}}
'''Marc Lépine ''' ({{IPA|fr|maʁk lepin|lang}}; born '''Gamil Rodrigue Liass Gharbi'''; October 26, 1964 – December 6, 1989) was a Canadian [[Misogynist terrorism|misogynistic terrorist]] and [[mass murderer]] who perpetrated the [[École Polytechnique massacre]] where he murdered 14 women and wounded another 10 women and 4 men<ref group=note>Note: Many sources state thirteen were wounded, but the Coroner's report and the police officer responsible for the investigation state that 14 were wounded.</ref> at [[École Polytechnique de Montréal]].<ref name="coroner">{{cite web | last =Sourour | first =Teresa K. | title =Report of Coroner's Investigation | year =1991 | url = http://www.diarmani.com/Montreal_Coroners_Report.pdf | access-date = December 28, 2006 }}</ref><ref name =L43>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=187}}</ref>
Lépine was born in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]] to [[French Canadians|French Canadian]] nurse Monique Lépine and [[Algerian people|Algerian]] businessman Rachid Gharbi. Gharbi was [[domestic abuse|abusive towards]] and [[Misogyny|contemptuous of women]]. After his parents separated when he was seven, his mother returned to nursing to support her children; Lépine was seven at the time. Lépine and his younger sister lived with other families who cared for them during the week, only seeing their mother on weekends. Lépine was considered bright but withdrawn, and he had difficulties with peer and family relationships. At the age of 14, he [[name change|changed his name]], giving "hatred of his father" as the reason.
Lépine's application to the [[Canadian Forces]] was rejected. In 1982 he began a science program at a college, switching to a more technical program after one year. In 1986 he dropped out of the course in his final term, and was subsequently fired from his job at a hospital due to his poor attitude. Lépine began a computer programming course in 1988, and again abandoned it before completion. He twice applied for admission to the École Polytechnique, but lacked two required compulsory courses.
Lépine had long complained about women working in "non-traditional" jobs. After several months of planning, including the legal purchase of a [[Ruger Mini-14]], he entered the École Polytechnique on the afternoon of December 6, 1989, separated the men from the women in a classroom, and shot the women, while yelling, "I hate [[feminists]]". He said he was "fighting feminism". He moved into other parts of the building, targeting women, before fatally shooting himself. His [[suicide note]] blamed feminists for ruining his life.
Lépine's actions have been variously ascribed from a psychiatric perspective with diagnoses such as a [[personality disorder]], [[psychosis]], or [[attachment disorder]], noting societal factors such as poverty, isolation, powerlessness, and violence in the media. The massacre is regarded by [[criminologists]] as an example of a [[hate crime]] against women. Feminists and government officials considered it a [[misogynist]] attack and an example of the larger issue of a high frequency of [[violence against women]]. December 6 is now observed in Canada as a [[National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women]].
==
===Childhood===
Marc Lépine was born Gamil Rodrigue Liass Gharbi on October 26, 1964, in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]], the son of [[Algerian diaspora|Algerian immigrant]] Rachid Liass Gharbi and French-Canadian nurse Monique Lépine.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=43}}</ref><ref name="Citizen">{{cite news | last =Weston| first =Greg|
Rachid was a [[mutual funds]] salesman and was travelling in the [[Caribbean]] at the time of his son's birth.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=43, 47, 52}}</ref> During his absence, Monique discovered evidence that her husband had been having an affair.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=45, 47–48}}</ref> Rachid was a non-practising [[Islam|Muslim]], and Monique a former [[Catholicism|Catholic]] [[nun]]; she had rejected [[organized religion]] after she left the convent.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=21, 50, 94}}</ref> Their son was baptized a Catholic as an infant, but received no religious instruction during his childhood;<ref name="Citizen"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=21, 46}}</ref> his mother described her son as "a confirmed [[atheism|atheist]] all his life".<ref name="Lépine & Gagné 2008 98">{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=98}}</ref>
Instability and [[domestic violence|violence]] marked the family: they moved frequently. Much of young Gamil's early childhood was spent in [[Costa Rica]] and [[Puerto Rico]], where his father worked for a Swiss mutual funds company.<ref name="Citizen"/><ref name=L52>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=52}}</ref>
The family returned to Montreal permanently in 1968, shortly before a [[stock market crash]] led to the loss of much of the family's assets.<ref name="Citizen"/> Rachid was an authoritarian, possessive and jealous man, frequently violent towards his wife and children.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=49–51}}</ref> He had [[misogyny|contempt for women]] and believed that they were intended only to serve men.<ref name="thousand">
{{cite news | last =Staff and Canadian Press|title =Thousands of mourners wait in silence to pay final respects to slain women| work =quoted in "The Montreal Massacre: A Story of Membership Categorization Analysis" Eglin, P. and Hester, S (2003) |publisher =Globe and Mail| date =December 11, 1989}}</ref> He required his wife to act as his personal secretary, slapping her if she made any errors in typing, and forcing her to retype documents in spite of the cries of their toddler.<ref name=L52/><ref>{{cite news|last=Came |first=Barry |author2=Burke, D |author3=Ferzoco, G. |author4=O'Farreli, B |author5=Wallace, B |title=Montreal Massacre: Railing Against Feminists |publisher=Maclean's Magazine |date=December 18, 1989 |url=http://www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/dec6/macleans.html |access-date=January 4, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061229145530/http://www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/dec6/macleans.html |archive-date=December 29, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was also [[child neglect|neglectful]] and [[child abuse|abusive]] towards his children, particularly his son,<ref name="Lépine & Gagné 2008 98"/> and discouraged any tenderness as he considered it spoiling.<ref name="thousand"/><ref name="mother">{{cite news|last=CTV.ca News Staff |title=Mother of Marc Lepine finally breaks her silence |publisher=CTV |date=September 25, 2006 |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/print/CTVNews/20060925/lepine_mother_060925/20060925/?hub=Canada&subhub=PrintStory |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070318031547/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/print/CTVNews/20060925/lepine_mother_060925/20060925/?hub=Canada&subhub=PrintStory |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 18, 2007 |access-date=January 1, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="McDonnell">{{cite news | last =McDonnell| first =Rod |author2=Thompson, Elizabeth |author3=McIntosh, Andrew |author4=Marsden, William| title = Killer's father beat him as a child; A brutal man who didn't seem to have any control of his emotions| publisher = The Gazette, Montreal | date =December 9, 1989}}</ref>
In 1970, following an incident in which Rachid struck Gamil so hard that the marks on his face were visible a week later, Monique decided to leave. The [[legal separation]] was finalized in 1971, and the [[divorce]] in 1976.<ref name=L35354>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=3, 53–54}}</ref><ref name="malarek"/> Following the separation, Gamil lived with his mother and younger sister Nadia; soon after, their home and possessions were seized when Rachid defaulted on [[mortgage]] payments. Gamil was afraid of his father, and at first saw him only on weekly supervised visits.<ref name=L35354/> The visits ended quickly, as Rachid ceased contact with his children soon after the separation.<ref name="Citizen"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=12}}</ref> Gamil never saw his father again. In the future he refused to discuss him with others.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=55, 155, 192}}</ref>
Rachid made only two [[child support]] payments. Monique returned to nursing to support her family.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=140–41}}</ref> She started taking further courses to advance her career. During this time the children lived with other families during the week, seeing their mother only on weekends.<ref name="Citizen"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=140, 144}}</ref> Concerned about her children and parenting skills, she sought help for the family from a psychiatrist at [[Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine|Sainte-Justine Hospital]] in 1976; the assessment concluded there was nothing wrong with the shy and withdrawn Gamil, but recommended therapy for his sister Nadia, who was challenging Monique's authority.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=150–51}}</ref> Nadia died in 1996 at the age of 28 from a [[drug overdose]] of [[cocaine]].
===Adolescence===
After the divorce became final in 1976, the Lépine children, then aged 12 and 9, returned to live with their mother, who had been promoted to director of nursing at a Montreal hospital.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=144}}</ref> In 1977 the family moved to a house purchased in the [[middle-class]] Montreal suburb of [[Pierrefonds, Quebec|Pierrefonds]].<ref name="Citizen"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=154}}</ref> Gamil attended junior high and high school, where he was described as a quiet student who obtained average to above average marks. He developed a close friendship with another boy, but he did not fit in with other students.<ref name="Citizen"/> Taunted as an [[Arab people|Arab]] because of his name, at the age of 14 he [[name change|legally changed it]] to "Marc Lépine", citing his hatred of his father as the reason for taking his mother's surname.<ref name="Citizen"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=146}}</ref> Lépine was uncommunicative and showed little emotion.<ref name="coroner"/> He suffered from low self-esteem, exacerbated by his chronic [[acne]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=132}}</ref> Family relations remained difficult as his younger sister Nadia publicly humiliated him about his acne and his lack of girlfriends. Lépine fantasized about her death, and on one occasion made a mock grave for her.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=150–52, 155–56, 193}}</ref> He was overjoyed when in 1981 she was placed in a [[group home]] because of her delinquent behaviour and drug abuse.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=62}}</ref>
Seeking a good male role model for Lépine, his mother arranged for a [[Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada|Big Brother]]. For two years, the experience proved positive as Lépine, often with his best friend, enjoyed the time with photography and moto-cross motorcycles. However, in 1979, the meetings ceased abruptly when the Big Brother was detained on suspicion of [[child molestation|molesting]] young boys. Both Lépine and his Big Brother denied that any molestation had occurred.<ref name="Citizen"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=156–58}}</ref>
Lépine owned an [[air rifle]] as a teenager, which he used to [[Cruelty to animals|shoot pigeons]] near his home with his friend. They also enjoyed designing and building electronic gadgets.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=153}}</ref> Lépine developed an interest in [[World War II]] and an admiration of [[Adolf Hitler]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp= 30, 32–33, 158}}</ref> and enjoyed action and horror movies.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=30}}</ref> He also took considerable responsibility at home, including cleaning and doing repairs while his mother worked.<ref name="Citizen"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=61}}</ref>
Lépine applied to join the [[Canadian Forces]] as an officer cadet in September 1981 at the age of 17, but was rejected during the interview process. He later told his friend it was because of difficulties accepting authority. In his 1989 [[suicide letter]], he noted that he had been found to be "[[anti-social behaviour|anti-social]]".<ref name="malarek">
{{cite news| last =Malarek| first =Victor| title =Killer Fraternized with Men in Army Fatigues | work =quoted in "The Montreal Massacre: A Story of Membership Categorization Analysis" Eglin, P. and Hester, S (2003) | publisher =Globe and Mail| date =December 9, 1989| isbn =9780889204225| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=FHZJxbjlHsgC&pg=RA1-PA41
| access-date =January 2, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=133}}</ref> An official statement from the military after the massacre stated that Lépine had been "interviewed, assessed and determined to be unsuitable".<ref name="Citizen"/>
===Adulthood===
In 1982, when Lépine was 18, his family moved to [[Saint-Laurent (borough)|Saint-Laurent]], closer to his mother's work and to Lépine's new [[CEGEP]]. He lost contact with his school friend soon after the move. This period marks the beginning of the seven year period which he described in his suicide note as having "brought [him] no joy".<ref name="Citizen2"/>
In August 1982, Lépine began a two-year pre-university course in [[pure science]]s at [[Cégep de Saint-Laurent]]. He failed two courses in the first semester but improved his grades considerably in the second semester.<ref name="McDonnell"/><ref name="Citizen2">{{cite news | last =Weston| first =Greg|author2=Aubry, Jack| title = The making of a massacre: The Marc Lepine story Part II| publisher = The Ottawa Citizen | date =February 8, 1990}}</ref> He worked part-time at the hospital where his mother worked, serving food and doing custodial duties. Lépine was seen as nervous, [[hyperactive]], and immature by his colleagues. He developed an attraction to another employee, but he was too shy to act on his feelings.<ref name="CEGEP">{{cite news|last=Colpron |first=Suzanne |title=Marc Lépine était un premier de classe |publisher=La Presse |date=December 9, 1989 |url=http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20060913/CPACTUALITES/60913134/6087/CPACTUALITES |access-date=January 6, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929132054/http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20060913/CPACTUALITES/60913134/6087/CPACTUALITES |archive-date=September 29, 2007 }}</ref><ref name=l31>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=31}}</ref>
After a year at college, he switched from the university-destined science program into electronics technology, a three-year technical program geared more towards immediate employment. His teachers remembered him as being a model student, quiet, hardworking, and generally doing well in his classes, particularly those related to electrotechnology. There was an unexplained drop in his marks in the fall 1985 term. In February 1986, during the last term of the program, he suddenly and without explanation stopped attending classes, as a result failing to complete his [[Diploma of Collegial Studies|diploma]].<ref name="McDonnell"/><ref name="Citizen2"/>
Lépine moved out of his mother's home into his own apartment,<ref name="Citizen2"/> and in 1986 he applied to study engineering at [[École Polytechnique de Montréal]]. He was admitted on the condition that he complete two compulsory courses, including one in [[solution (chemistry)|solution chemistry]].<ref name="coroner"/> He never did this work.
In 1987, Lépine was fired from his job at the hospital for aggressive behaviour, as well as disrespect of his superiors and carelessness in his work. He was enraged at his dismissal, and at the time described a plan to commit a murderous rampage and then commit [[suicide]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=32, 191}}</ref> Lépine's friends noted that he became unpredictable, flying into rages when frustrated.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=130–31}}</ref>
In the fall of 1987, in order to complete his college diploma, Lépine took three courses, obtaining good marks in all of them.<ref name="Citizen2"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=28–29}}</ref> In February 1988, he began a course in computer programming at a private college in downtown Montreal, funding his studies with government [[student loan]]s.<ref name="McDonnell"/> He moved into a downtown apartment with his old high school friend,<ref name="coroner" /><ref name="Citizen2"/><ref name="roux" /> and in the winter of 1989 took a CEGEP night course in solution chemistry, a prerequisite course for the École Polytechnique.<ref name="coroner"/>
Lépine wanted a girlfriend, but was generally ill at ease around women. He tended to boss women around and show off his knowledge in front of them.<ref name=roux>{{cite news|last=Roux|first=Martine|title=Pour comprendre Marc Lépine|publisher=La Presse|date=December 18, 1999|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=131–32, 155}}</ref> He spoke out to men about his dislike of [[feminism|feminists]], career women and women in traditionally male occupations, such as the police force, stating that women should remain in the home caring for their families.<ref name="malarek"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Norris|first=Alexander|title=Lepine was emotionally repressed, pal says|publisher=The Gazette, Montreal|date=January 16, 1990}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=131}}</ref> Lépine applied again to the École Polytechnique in 1989; however his application was rejected as he still lacked required courses. In March 1989, he abandoned the course in computer programming,<ref name="Citizen2"/> though he performed well in the CEGEP course. He obtained 100% in his final exam.<ref name="CEGEP"/> In April 1989, he met with a university admissions officer and complained about how women were taking over the job market from men.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=170–71}}</ref>
==Massacre==
{{main|École Polytechnique massacre}}
[[Image:Exterior of Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal.jpg|thumb|250px|left|alt= oblique view of a long, modern building about 6 storeys high, with many windows and large main entrance |Exterior of École Polytechnique de Montréal]]
The massacre appeared to have been planned for several months.<ref name=L191>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|p=191}}</ref> In August 1989 Lépine picked up an application for a firearms-acquisition certificate, and in mid-October he received his permit.<ref name="Citizen2"/> On November 21, 1989, he purchased a [[Ruger Mini-14]] [[semi-automatic rifle]] at a local sporting goods store. Between October and December 1989 he was seen at least seven times at the École Polytechnique.<ref name="coroner"/><ref name=L191/> Four days before the shooting, Lépine brought his mother a present, though it was several weeks before her birthday;<ref name="mother"/> he also brought a note and two bags of belongings, which she did not discover until long after the shooting.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=37–38, 135}}</ref> Lépine had previously always been very punctual paying his rent, but had not done so in December 1989.<ref name="Citizen2"/>
On December 6, 1989, Lépine walked into the École Polytechnique. He entered a second-floor classroom where he separated the men and women, and ordered the approximately fifty men to leave. Claiming that he was fighting feminism, he shot the nine women who remained, killing six and injuring the rest. The men waited outside as their female classmates were killed. After this, Lépine moved to other areas of the building, including the cafeteria, corridors and another classroom. He killed a total of fourteen women (twelve engineering students, one nursing student, and one university employee), and injured four men and ten more women before turning the gun on himself.<ref name="coroner"/><ref>{{cite web| title =Gunman massacres 14 women| work =Archives| publisher =CBC| date =December 6, 1989| url =http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-70-398-2235/disasters_tragedies/montreal_massacre/clip1| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110604052652/http://archives.cbc.ca/society/crime_justice/topics/398-2235/| archive-date =June 4, 2011| format =video stream| access-date = December 29, 2006}}</ref> The event was later described as a "pseudo-community" type of "pseudo-[[commando]]" [[murder-suicide]], in which the perpetrator targets a specific group, usually in a public place, and intends to die in "a blaze of glory".<ref>{{cite book|last=Byard|first=Roger W.|title=Forensic Pathology Reviews|editor=Tsokos, Michael|publisher=Humana Press|date=c. 2000|volume=3|page=343|chapter=Murder-Suicide|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=323vT9cEaSoC&pg=PA343 | isbn=978-1-58829-416-6}}</ref>
A three-page suicide letter was found in the pocket of Lépine's jacket.<ref name="coroner"/> The letter was never officially made public and only portions were initially released by police. It was leaked in November 1990 to [[Francine Pelletier (journalist)|Francine Pelletier]] and published in the newspaper ''[[La Presse (Canadian newspaper)|La Presse]]''. In his letter, Lépine claimed political motives, blamed feminists for ruining his life, and expressed admiration for [[Denis Lortie]], who had mounted an attack on the [[National Assembly of Quebec]] in 1984 for political reasons, killing three Quebec government employees.<ref>{{cite news | last =Pelchat| first =Martin| title =Lépine avait des motifs "politiques"| language =fr| publisher =La Presse| date =November 24, 1990}}</ref> The letter also contained a list of nineteen Quebec women whom Lépine labeled as "radical feminists" and appeared to target for killing.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Difficult Story to Tell |work=The Story of the fifth estate |publisher=CBC News |url=http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/history/difficultfour.html |access-date=December 28, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070603043530/http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/history/difficultfour.html |archive-date=June 3, 2007 }}</ref> Another letter, written to a friend, promised the explanation to the massacre lay by following clues left in Lépine's apartment. The hunt led only to a suitcase of computer games and hardware.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=33–34}}</ref>
Lépine was buried in the [[Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery]] in Montreal, a few blocks from where he committed the massacre.<ref>{{cite news|last=CBC News |title=Workers locked out at famous Montreal cemetery |publisher=CBC |date=May 16, 2007 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/workers-locked-out-at-famous-montreal-cemetery-1.693263 |access-date=May 21, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070518044629/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/workers-locked-out-at-famous-montreal-cemetery-1.693263 |archive-date=May 18, 2007 }}</ref>
===Rationale===
A police psychiatrist who interviewed Lépine's family and entourage, and who had access to his letters, suggested that he may have had a serious [[personality disorder]]. He chose the multiple homicide/suicide strategy (killing oneself after killing others) that is a characteristic of this disorder. The psychiatrist noted "extreme [[narcissism|narcissistic]] vulnerability" as shown by fantasies of power and success, combined with high levels of self-criticism and difficulties dealing with rejection and failure. Feelings of powerlessness and incompetence were compensated for by a violent and grandiose imaginary life.<ref name="coroner"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Coroner's report on massacre criticizes police and response|last=Scott|first=Marian|date=May 15, 1990|publisher=Vancouver Sun|pages=A 1}}</ref> Other psychiatrists suggested that Lépine was [[psychotic]], having lost touch with reality as he tried to erase the memories of a brutal and absent father, while at the same time unconsciously identifying with a violent manhood that dominates women. Other theories were that Lépine's experiences of abuse as a child had caused [[brain damage]] or led him to feel victimized as he faced losses and rejections in his later life.<ref>{{cite news | last =Lortie | first = Marie-Claude |title = Poly un an après : Psychose? Blessures au cerveau? Les spécialistes n'ont pas encore résolu l'énigme Marc Lépine |publisher =La Presse| date =December 1, 1990}}</ref>
Lépine's mother speculated that he may have suffered from [[attachment disorder]] due to the abuse and sense of abandonment he had suffered in his childhood. She also wondered whether Lépine viewed her as a feminist, and that the massacre might have been an unconscious attempt to get revenge for her neglect while she pursued her career and for his sister's taunts.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lépine & Gagné|2008|pp=138, 161–62}}</ref> Others take a less individualistic approach. Many feminists and governmental officials view it as an illustration of misogynistic [[violence against women]].<ref>{{cite book |author1=Young, Katherine K. |author2=Nathanson, Paul |title=Legalizing misandry: from public shame to systematic discrimination against men |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |___location=Montreal |year=2006 |pages= 59–61|isbn=0-7735-2862-8 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=cqKxhhu55SMC&pg=PA59}}</ref><ref name="Curry">{{cite book |chapter= Female lives, Feminist deaths|last=Brickman|first= Julie|editor=Curry, Renée R. |editor2=Allison, Terry L. |title=States of rage: emotional eruption, violence, and social change |publisher=New York University Press |___location=New York |year=1996 |isbn=0-8147-1530-3 |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kp0EjoLkmssC&pg=PA27 }}</ref><ref name="Eglin">{{cite book| last =Peter Eglin|author2=Stephen Hester| title =The Montreal Massacre: A Story of Membership Categorization Analysis| publisher =Wilfrid Laurier University Press| year =2003| ___location =Waterloo, ON| isbn = 0-88920-422-5}}</ref> [[Criminologists]] consider the massacre as an example of a [[hate crime|hate or bias crime]] against women.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gerstenfeld|first=Phyllis B.|title=Hate crimes: causes, controls, and controversies |publisher=SAGE|year=2004|pages=48–49|isbn= 978-0-7619-2814-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sJ7OkVzwVMEC&pg=PA49}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Lawrence|first=Frederick M.|title=Punishing Hate: Bias Crimes Under American Law|publisher=Harvard University Press|year=2002|pages=15–17|isbn= 978-0-674-00972-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=959sKkDoLhoC&pg=PT31}}</ref> A few [[antifeminist]]s have sought to rehabilitate Lépine as hero of the antifeminist cause.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/03/31/13429581-qmi.html |title=Anti-feminist blogger calls himself 'masculinist activist' |first= Stephane|last=Tremblay |newspaper=Toronto Sun |date= March 31, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114061421/http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/03/31/13429581-qmi.html|archive-date=January 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://thestar.blogs.com/broadsides/2009/12/the-fword.html |title=Broadsides |work=Toronto Star |date=December 5, 2009 |first=Antonia |last=Zerbisias |access-date=January 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826010451/http://thestar.blogs.com/broadsides/2009/12/the-fword.html |archive-date=August 26, 2011 }}</ref><ref name="blais">{{cite book |author=Mélissa Blais |title=Le mouvement masculiniste au Québec |chapter= Marc Lépine: heros ou martyr? Le masculinisme et la tuerie de l'École polytechnique |editor= Blais, Mélissa |editor2=[[Francis Dupuis-Déri|Dupuis-Déri, Francis]]|publisher=Les Éditions du remue-ménage|year=2008 |pages= 86–92 |isbn=978-0-670-06969-9 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url= http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/societe/2009/11/27/001-polytech-lepine-masculinistes.shtml |title=Tragédie de Polytechnique : Marc Lépine, un tueur transformé en héros |work=Radio-Canada|date=November 30, 2009 |last=Debays|first=Barbara |access-date=January 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://o.canada.com/news/the-bizarre-love-for-marc-lepine-among-mens-rights-groups|title = The bizarre love for Marc Lepine among men's rights groups|last = Csanady|first = Ashley|date = October 15, 2014|work = Canada.com|access-date = December 27, 2014|archive-date = April 27, 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180427203329/http://o.canada.com/news/the-bizarre-love-for-marc-lepine-among-mens-rights-groups|url-status = dead}}</ref> Others wondered if Lépine's actions were the result of societal changes that had led to increased poverty, powerlessness, individual isolation<ref>{{cite news | last =Valpy | first = Michael |title = Litany of social ills created Marc Lepine |publisher =The Globe and Mail| date =December 11, 1989}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last =Wong | first =Jan |title = Get under the desk |publisher =The Globe and Mail| date =September 16, 2006| url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/get-under-the-desk/article845062/protected/| access-date = January 20, 2007}}</ref> or increased violence in the media and in society.<ref name="mother" /><ref name="cernea">{{cite book| last =Cernea| first =Adrian| title =Poly 1989: Témoin de l'horreur| publisher =Éditions Lescop| year =1999|isbn = 2-9804832-8-1}}</ref>
==Suicide statement==
<!-- This section is linked from [[École Polytechnique massacre]] -->
The following is a translation of the suicide letter written by Lépine on the day of the shooting.<ref name="Malette">Malette, L. and Chalouh, M. The Montreal Massacre, Gynergy Books, 1991.</ref>
{{quote|Forgive the mistakes, I had 15 minutes to write this. See also Annex.<br /><br />Please note that if I commit suicide today 89-12-06 it is not for economic reasons (for I have waited until I exhausted all my financial means, even refusing jobs) but for political reasons. Because I have decided to send the feminists, who have always ruined my life, to their Maker. For seven years life has brought me no joy and being totally [[wikt:blasé#Adjective|blasé]], I have decided to put an end to those [[wikt:virago#Noun|virago]]s.
I tried in my youth to enter the [[Canadian Armed Forces|Forces]] as an [[officer cadet]], which would have allowed me possibly to get into the arsenal and precede [[Denis Lortie|Lortie]] in a raid. They refused me as [I was] asocial. I therefore had to wait until this day to execute my plans. In between, I continued my studies in a [[wikt:haphazard#Adjective|haphazard]] way for they never really interested me, knowing in advance my fate. Which did not prevent me from obtaining very good marks despite my theory of not handing in work and the lack of studying before exams.
Even if the Mad Killer epithet will be attributed to me by the media, I consider myself a rational erudite that only the arrival of the Grim Reaper has forced to take extreme acts. For why persevere to exist if it is only to please the government. Being rather backward-looking by nature (except for science), the feminists have always enraged me. They want to keep the advantages of women (e.g. cheaper insurance, extended maternity leave preceded by a preventative leave, etc.) while seizing for themselves those of men.
Thus it is an obvious truth that if the [[Olympic Games]] removed the Men-Women distinction, there would be women only in the graceful events. So the feminists are not fighting to remove that barrier. They are so opportunistic they [do not]<ref group=note>Note: Original French is "Elles sont tellement opportunistes qu'elles ne négligent pas de profiter". A negative is missing from the published translation.</ref> neglect to profit from the knowledge accumulated by men through the ages. They always try to misrepresent them every time they can. Thus, the other day, I heard they were honoring the Canadian men and women who fought at the frontline during the world wars. How can you explain [that then, since]<ref group=note>Note: Original French is "Comment expliquer cela alors que les femmes...". The inaccurate published translation was "...explain then that..."</ref> women were not authorized to go to the frontline??? Will we hear of Caesar's female legions and female galley slaves who of course took up 50% of the ranks of history, though they never existed. A real [[Casus belli|Casus Belli]].
Sorry for this too brief letter.
Marc Lépine}}
The letter is followed by the list of nineteen names, with a note at the bottom:
{{quote|"They nearly died today. The lack of time (because I started too late) has allowed these radical feminists to survive. <br />[[Alea iacta est]]."}}
==Memorial==
Canadians mark the day of the killings with a [[National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women]]. In 2008, Monique Lépine published ''Aftermath'', a memoir of her own journey through the grief and pain of the incident. She had stayed silent until 2006, when she decided to speak out for the first time in the wake of that year's [[Dawson College shooting]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Monique Lépine marks Montreal Massacre anniversary |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/monique-l%C3%A9pine-marks-montreal-massacre-anniversary-1.809475 |work=CBC News |date=December 2, 2009}}</ref>
==In popular culture==
Lépine's life and death was dramatized by [[Adam Kelly]] in his controversial play ''[[The Anorak]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.montrealmirror.com/2009/010809/arts8.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714113710/http://www.montrealmirror.com/2009/010809/arts8.html |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |title=Montreal Mirror - NOISEMAKERS 2009 - Arts |url-status=dead |access-date=June 1, 2016}}</ref>
Lépine was portrayed by [[Maxim Gaudette]] in [[Denis Villeneuve]]'s 2009 film ''[[Polytechnique (film)|Polytechnique]]'', although the film never refers to Lépine by name. Gaudette won the [[Genie Award]] for [[Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role|Best Supporting Actor]] for his portrayal of Lépine.<ref>[https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/article/794276--polytechnique-sweeps-genie-awards?bn=1 "Polytechnique sweeps Genie Awards"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', April 12, 2010.</ref>
==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==
*{{Cite book|last1=Lépine|first1=Monique|last2=Gagné |first2=Harold|title=Aftermath |publisher=Viking Canada|year=2008|isbn=978-0-670-06969-9|ref={{harvid|Lépine & Gagné|2008}}}}
==External links==
*[http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/society/crime-justice/the-montreal-massacre/topic-the-montreal-massacre.html CBC Archives on the Montreal Massacre]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130113151051/http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/mass/marc_lepine/index.html Article about Lépine on Crimelibrary.com]
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