Content Advisory: This article contains sensitive topics including school violence, sexual assault, and suicide.
When Trina Costantini-Powell deliberated on what to showcase in the 1970s exhibit for her Ottawa high school’s centennial, she initially thought of Nixon, Trudeau, and the Vietnam War.
However, as Costantini-Powell and her fellow Glebe Collegiate Institute alumni gathered among trophies and yearbooks in the school’s archives, they stumbled upon a surprising discovery hidden behind a curtain: a framed pastel portrait of a young woman filled with hope who never lived to see her graduation.
The young woman, identified as Kim Rabot by Costantini-Powell, sparked curiosity among the group.
This month marks the fiftieth anniversary of Rabot’s tragic death at the age of 17, the first victim in a harrowing chain of events revisited by CBC in an ongoing four-part series.
On October 27, 1975, a student from St. Pius X High School raped and murdered Rabot at his residence before proceeding to open fire in his St. Pius religion class, fatally injuring an 18-year-old classmate named Mark Hough and then taking his own life.
The subsequent murders and suicide reverberated through the two schools and the nation, leading to the implementation of Canada’s firearms acquisition certificate system two years later.
Despite some survivors of the shooting sharing their stories over time, Rabot’s own narrative was overshadowed by the aftermath of what became Canada’s second high school shooting.
“My heart aches for what Kim Rabot endured and the ongoing suffering her family and friends face as the 50-year milestone nears,” expressed Al Hough, a veteran RCMP member and cousin of victim Mark Hough.
Despite the horrendous circumstances surrounding Rabot’s death, several individuals in Ottawa have quietly worked to ensure her memory endures.
Fred May, a friend and classmate from Glebe, commissioned a portrait of Rabot, emphasizing the importance of not reducing her legacy to that of a victim of a horrific crime.
Part 2: The vacant seat
As Rabot’s light blue casket was laid to rest at Beechwood Cemetery three days after her tragic demise, May felt profound sorrow for her family.
Rabot, born in London in 1958 to Sri Lankan parents who later immigrated to Canada, was described by her older sister, Sabina Lall, as intelligent, kind, helpful, loyal, slightly reserved, and somewhat nerdy. Rabot excelled in swimming, played the flute, and aspired to become a doctor.
The Rabot family lived near Robert Poulin, the troubled 18-year-old responsible for Rabot’s death. Their paths briefly crossed during Rabot’s Grade 10 year at St. Pius, with the families also attending the same church.
