Missing and murdered. Leah Anderson, 15 years old... and others

What a relief. Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited Whitehorse yesterday and shared with the territory a fresh insight: the plight of missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada is not, in fact, a “sociological phenomenon.” Rather, the root of the problem is that we simply haven’t locked enough people away in prison.

“We should view it as crime,” Harper said. “It is crime against innocent people, and it needs to be addressed as such.”

What a remarkably stupid position for the prime minister to take. These comments were offered as Harper’s rationale as to why a national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women is, in his view, not needed. Marian Horne, president of the Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council, has rightfully deplored this take.

She’s far from alone. Harper’s opposition to an inquest stands in contrast to all other federal parties, save his own, and all Yukon parties. Heck, even Harper’s MP for the Yukon, Ryan Leef, has publicly called for an inquiry, in a rare case of him veering from the party line.