Painting all South Asian or Middle Eastern cultures and religious traditions with the same brush is not only unfair but it’s inaccurate. Just take a critical look the latest stories about “honour killings.”

From left to right: Jawinder “Jassi” Kaur (25), Aqsa Parvez (16), Methal Dayem (22), Lubaina Bhatti Ahmed (39), Sahar Daftary (23), Amandeep Singh Atwal (17), Amina Said (17) and Sarah Said (18), Sandeela Kanwal (25), Surjit Athwal (27), Rukhsana Naz (19), Fadime Sahindal (32), Heshu Yones (16), Anooshe Sediq Ghulam (22), Maja Bradaric (16), Sahjda Bibi (21), Anita Gindha (22), Shafilea Ahmed (16), Gulsum Semin (20), Hatin Surucu (23), Banaz Mahmod (20), Samaira Nazir (25), Sazan Bajez-Abdullah (24), Sabia Rani (19), Ghazala Khan (18), Caneze Riaz (39) and daughters Sayrah (16), Sophia (15), Alicia (10), Hannah (3), Hina Saleem (21), Morsal Obeidi (16), Aasiya Hassan (37), Ayman Udas (30), Du’a Khalil (17), Khatera Sadiqi (20), Lidia Motylska (19), Müjde B. (18), Pela Atroshi (19), Rim Abu Ghanem (19), Sabina Akhtar (26), Uzma Rahan, 32,and sons, Adam (11), and Abbas (8) and daughter, Henna(6), Tulay Goren (15)

Stephen Harper’s Conservatives seem to think that this is a prevalent practice in communities of South Asian or Islamic traditions, but let’s face it – these tragic cases, as sensational as they are, are isolated and are not tradition or something communities tolerate.

Murder is a serious crime and under Canada’s Criminal Code, there is a process to convict and condemn those who are found guilty.

In their July report, the Frontier Centre for Public Policy documented 12 honour killings in Canada since 2002. Yes, even one is too many but why is the Conservative government suddenly worried about 12 dead women, when thousands are killed or go missing every year?

The death of any woman is an honour killing. We just have different names for it or it happens in a different form. But essentially, it’s violence against women, gender-based violence or woman abuse.

Every day, we hear examples of men (husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, boyfriends or partners) who abuse and kill women with whom they have a relationship. The underlying problem is about power and control – issues that the man needs to resolve within himself. And this goes beyond culture and religion.

But if the Conservatives were serious about stopping crimes and violence against women, they should seriously reinvest money and support to women’s groups.

Organizations, such as the national Status of Women Canada, and numerous regional and local women’s shelters and support groups carry out educational and awareness campaigns on the need to end violence against women, including specific programs directed at men to identify their issues.

I wonder if the 12 women killed in the name of honour have restored honour to their family name. I also wonder if it’s honourable to have a member of the family rot in jail on charges of murder or assault. In the end, murder is murder and there is no honour or pride in that.