A landmark court case will test whether Canada’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage also justifies the practice of polygamy.
The defense lawyer for a British Columbia man who openly admits to having multiple wives will argue that Canada’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage broadens the definition of marriage to include multiple spouses.
Two top leaders of a fundamentalist plural-marriage sect living in a commune-style compound called Bountiful in British Columbia have been arrested and charged with practicing polygamy. The criminal charges against the men are a first in Canada.
Canadian laws banning polygamy date back decades, though no one has previously been prosecuted for breaking them. Winston Blackmore, 52, and James Oler, 44, leaders of rival factions in the sectarian community, were arrested and charged January 7 with one count each of practicing polygamy.