Harper's willful blindness a danger to Aboriginal women [editorial]

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is stubbornly refusing to call a national inquiry into the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women, refusing to see that we have a  very serious problem here across Canada that desperately needs addressing. He should be held to account for gross incompetence and utter lack of leadership. He is wrong. He lacks vision. His view is dangerous and narrow.

Mr. Harper sees only a string of crimes. The 1,182 missing and/or murdered Indigenous women is no “sociological phenomenon,” he said, as 15-year-old Tina Fontaine was pulled from the Red River in Winnipeg, her body found in a bag.

Isn’t Mr. Harper the least bit curious to discover why an Indigenous girl like Tina is more likely to come to such a violent end in this country than a non-Indigenous girl? Isn’t he the least bit curious to find a way to save other Indigenous women from facing a similar fate?

By refusing to acknowledge that these “crimes” are rooted in something far greater and systemic, this most powerful man in Canada is willfully compounding injustice. And for what?  Is it because he’s afraid of what such an inquiry will find? Is he afraid of what such an inquiry will force upon Canada, the mirror put up to the nation’s face again to view some ugly truths?

It’s not because of the cost of an inquiry. Mr. Harper isn’t worried about spending money where he sees a priority. The sad fact of this leader and this government is that Indigenous people, their concerns and their issues aren’t a priority for the federal Conservatives. Murdered and missing Indigenous women aren’t Mr. Harper’s priority. Mr. Harper won’t call an inquiry because it will force government into taking some action. It will force government to place Indigenous people in front of other priorities. And Mr. Harper isn’t so brave as to do that.

Windspeaker