How do we deal with honour killings?

By Letter to the Editor on March 26, 2018.

Re: “Deportation just shifts the problem somewhere else,” March 20

What a minefield of controversy this editorial evokes, without even a hint of a solution to the problem. First and foremost it must be remembered that citizenship of a country other than your birth is a privilege not a right. So how do we deal this particular problem of so-called “honour killings,” or indeed any capital offence?

Perhaps it’s time to re think the whole process of immigration, and say (in this case) not allow emigration to Canada from countries that have this barbaric system in their religion and culture and allow its practice. Wait. That would be unfair to the women and children I hear you cry! So we allow them in, grant them citizenship knowing full well that “honour killings” are an accepted part of their cultural background. How do we address it with them? None of them will admit they would carry out an honour killing, knowing full well it would not be tolerated in a western democracy. To deny them the right to follow their beliefs would be a gross infringement of their human rights! How do you address the subject with them without being accusatory? Again infringing on their human rights. So we go along in the hope it will not happen.

Now when it does and Canadian law has been broken the Canadian tax payer is on the hook for the trial and 25 years incarceration for one or more perpetrators.

Of course in this liberal world stopping emigration from any country would never happen, but in my opinion the process has to be rigid, clear and imposed when necessary. That being citizenship is a privilege, if you commit a capital offence under Canadian law, your citizenship will be revoked you will be sentenced, and then immediately deported back to your country of origin, no exceptions. After all why should the Canadian taxpayer have to pay for the misguided teachings of another countries religion and culture?

Wayne Smith

Medicine Hat

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