The Canadian government is rejecting a recommendation to conduct a comprehensive review of violence against Native women.

The United Nations Human Rights Council is conducting its Universal Periodic Review of Canada. An "alarming pattern" of violence against Native women is one of the issues raised and the country, among other recommendations, is being urged to address the "root causes" of the problem.

But Elissa Golberg, Canada's ambassador to the UN, said the country won't be looking at the issue on a national basis. That should be left to provincial and local governments, she said today in Geneva, the Canadian Press reported.

In July, the top leaders of Canada's provinces and territories endorsed a National Inquiry into missing and murdered Native women. But Prime Minister Stephen Harper has resisted the request.

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Canada nixes UN review of violence on aboriginal women (CP 9/19)