When Canadian political leaders come together in the wake of a tragedy like the suicide of Rehtaeh Parsons, they show they can act quickly in the face of public outrage.

But that action raises another question about inaction.

Why do these same leaders move so slowly — or not at all — on the question of violence when it involves aboriginal women, or suicides when they take place in our First Nations communities?

There are an estimated 600 murdered or missing aboriginal women in this country.

There may be more, there may be fewer, but without a national inquiry, we can’t know.

The Neskantaga First Nation, 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, recently declared a state of emergency after a pair of suicides, bringing the total in the past year to seven sudden deaths, four of them confirmed suicides, and another 20 attempted suicides.

This in a community of 300.

Tales like this are not new, but they are too often met with indifference.

It is not cliché to say the world is watching.

Friday in Geneva, Canada’s human rights record was on display at the United Nations, during a regularly scheduled review of our record.

Violence and discrimination against aboriginal women was repeatedly raised by UN members at the forum.

It may be easy for detractors to dismiss human rights criticism when it comes from the likes of China and Cuba, but country after country raised the question of violence against aboriginal women with Canadian Ambassador Elissa Golberg.

That included allies like the United States.

Washington’s representative told Golberg the Obama administration remains concerned about disproportionate violence, poverty and discrimination against native women and girls in Canada.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has relented, and will allow three UN rapporteurs — who have usually been treated with scorn by the Conservatives — to visit Canada this summer, including a special rapporteur on aboriginal affairs.

Also, as early as Monday, a letter will be headed to Harper from Manitoba deputy premier and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Eric Robinson, telling him the provincial and territorial aboriginal affairs ministers have unanimously agreed to call on Ottawa to launch an inquiry into the missing or murdered women.

“Prime Minister Harper impressed me when he apologized to people like me,” says Robinson, a residential school survivor.

“The world’s eyes are watching us on this and this is a very critical issue. I am confident the prime minister will do the right thing. To find unanimity on an issue like this shows how serious this is.”

Robinson hosted other aboriginal affairs ministers at a recent meeting and said he, like other provincial ministers, has simply heard too many stories from families who have lost daughters, sisters or mothers and have lost patience with their political leaders. They want answers.

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A call for an inquiry was also one of the key requests carried by Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo when he met with Harper amid the tension of Idle No More protests and Theresa Spence’s fast in January.

The RCMP has questioned the 600 figure, a number compiled by a program called Sisters in Spirit by the Native Women’s Association of Canada, which ended a five-year research program in 2010 when Ottawa cut off its funding.

If the number is inflated, we should know.

But it is a certainty that whatever the number, it is a stain on Canada’s international reputation.

An inquiry would appear to be the type of low-hanging fruit that could go a long way to bridging the divide between Ottawa and First Nations and bring some closure to those suffering across the country.

The response, however, was the same in Ottawa and Geneva on Friday.

Golberg mentioned the establishment of a National Centre for Missing Persons and a study that will be done by MPs. She told the world Canada was a world leader on human rights and determined to end hardship for aboriginal women and girls.

Julie Di Mambro, a spokesperson for Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, cited a number of government initiatives, including 30 pieces of anti-crime legislation over the past seven years.

“While we are moving ahead with a comprehensive justice agenda, we are also pleased to participate on the parliamentary committee which is studying the issue,” she said.

When a tragedy grips a nation, it can race through the House of Commons and a plodding political process can move with alacrity.

But it appears for that to happen, it has to be a certain type of tragedy.

Tim Harper is a national affairs writer. His column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. tharper@thestar.ca Twitter:@nutgraf1

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