Rona Ambrose, the founder of a hugely successful chain of DIY stores [are you sure? ed.] today said the government "is looking at" adding the crime of honour killing to Canada's Criminal Code. Why this should be necessary is a puzzlement. There are already three charges -- first-degree murder, second-degree murder and manslaughter -- which could apply, depending on the intention of the killer.
It may be recalled -- or maybe not -- that a young Pakistani-Canadian girl, Aqsa Parvez, was killed in December 2007 by her brother and father, acting in concert. Why? Because she had brought shame on the Muslim family by going out in public without her hejab. For details see "Honour killings, family values and 'accommodation', posted here in July 2009.
Parvez père et fils copped a plea to second-degree murder, that is, murder which was not planned, just a spur-of-the-moment sort of thing. This was in spite of evidence that Aqsa's brother had gone with her to school and lured her into coming back home, where her father lay in waiting with the garrote.
Agent 3, our resident liar [check spelling. ed.] suggests that if the Criminal Code were amended to regard honour killing as first-degree murder, without the Crown having to prove premeditation, would ensure that the punishment would be a little more fitting to the crime.
Meanwhile, in Montréal, a woman alleged to have stabbed her daughter in the head in a so-called "honour crime" has been declared fit to stand trial. Click here to see today's Canadian Press report. Fortunately for her, the daughter lived, so the most serious crime of which the mother can be convicted is attempted murder.
Recommended reading: "Confronting the 'honour killing' taboo", by Ann Hui, in Tuesday's Globe & Mail.
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