Re: “Be a voice for the voiceless,” Japreet Lehal column, The Leader, June 21.
Female-feticide is a disturbing tradition that has garnered increased attention in recent weeks, and I appreciate the willingness of Japreet Lehal to courageously speak about the topic through his regular column in The Surrey-North Delta Leader.
The fact that this horrific procedure can be obtained and tax-funded in Canada, a nation which otherwise has such a high standard for human rights, is appalling.
Mr. Lehal rightly calls on his fellow youth to raise their voices against this practice. But I believe that education and awareness alone do not go far enough.
For example, Canadians would not have been satisfied if we had addressed child labour issues with education programs only and never passed child labour laws. So also, Canadians certainly should not be content with education as the only tool used to counteract the killing of pre-born females either.
Clearly, the government has a role to ensure that the human rights of pre-born females are not violated, simply because of their gender.
That is why Canada needs a law to end this misogynistic practice. Over 90 per cent of Canadians agree that aborting for gender reasons should be illegal. It’s time for the government to act.
Mike Schouten, campaign director
WeNeedaLAW.ca
Self-destructive practice
Japreet Lehal’s article on female feticide begs the ultimate question as to why would any culture would countenance the destruction of a gender that is the very foundation of that culture.
I find it so abhorrent and utterly irrational that anyone within the Indo-Canadian community would endorse such a barbaric and self-destructive practice and I am so glad to read at least someone within that community speaking out.
Don Sukkau