Steven Hazel wanted to end his marriage.

He increased the life insurance on his wife and removed his prize possessions from the family home. Hazel then murdered his wife and tried to hide the murder by burning down the family home in southwestern Ontario with his wife’s body inside.

This is a terrible story about violence and greed—but Hazel’s violence was directed at his wife only and he had no plans to intimidate others by his cruel deed.

Compare the Hazel case to the dreadful actions of Hasibullah Sadiqi who murdered his sister Khatera and her fiance Feroz Mangal in the Ottawa area because Khatera moved in with Feroz before getting married.

According to the Crown at Sadiqi’s trial, the killing was committed for the purpose of “restoring the family’s reputation and respect in the Afghan community.”

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In just the same way the Ku Klux Klan used violence to enforce white supremacy in the southern United States honour killings seek to keep women as second-class citizens unable to choose how to live their lives.

Let’s call honour killing what it really is.

Call it terrorism.

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