Canadian court to be asked if polygamy is legal
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - A Canadian court will be asked if the country's laws against polygamy violate constitutional protections of religious freedom, British Columbia's attorney general said on Thursday.
The law's constitutionality was left in limbo last month after a judge tossed out a criminal case against two members of a breakaway Mormon sect that practices polygamy in the Western Canadian province, Michael de Jong said.
"There is a question that needs to be answered, and it's a very basic one: Is polygamy a crime in Canada?" de Jong told reporters in announcing the special case to be filed in British Columbia Supreme Court -- a trial level court.
Some civil rights lawyers have warned that the 19th Century law, which has never been tested, was likely unconstitutional, and officials had for years declined to pursue charges against the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS).
The U.S.-based sect has maintained a community it calls Bountiful along the British Columbia-Idaho border since the 1940s. It also has communities in Utah, Colorado, Texas and Arizona.
De Jong believes the polygamy law is constitutional, but said that because last month's ruling dismissed the case on an unrelated technical issue the province had to find a different way to resolve the question and pursue charges.
Canadian Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said the federal government supports the province's action and will help. "The practice of polygamy has no place in modern Canadian society," Nicholson said in a statement.
* * *
Should polygamy be legal?
Why or why not?
Yes. There is nothing wrong going on there. People should be allowed to marry any consenting adult they want to. Its no one elses business who you marry.
Heather
Proud to be a Witchy Momma
~ The witches fly Across the sky, The owls go, "Who? Who? Who?" The black cats yowl and green ghosts howl, "Scary Halloween to you!" ~
I don't have a problem with it. People need to keep their noses in their own marriages instead of worrying about other's, and perhaps the divorce rate wouldn't be so high.
Quoting hsteele:Yes. There is nothing wrong going on there. People should be allowed to marry any consenting adult they want to. Its no one elses business who you marry.
I agree.
I have a problem with minors being "groomed" to marry old men. I think that the "compounds" of some religions are in question. I do not agree with forced marriages.
But if its consenting adults then why not? LIke the show "big love" they are all consenting adults. Hmmmmmmm two or more husbands????????? OMG what if they all left there unders on the bathroom floor?
Quoting mistynights234:
I have a problem with minors being "groomed" to marry old men. I think that the "compounds" of some religions are in question. I do not agree with forced marriages.
But if its consenting adults then why not? LIke the show "big love" they are all consenting adults. Hmmmmmmm two or more husbands????????? OMG what if they all left there unders on the bathroom floor?
I agree. I don't think children should be forced into marriage as occurs in some fundamentalist religious sects. But between consenting adults, I have no problem with it, as long as women are given the same rights as men and aren't abused in the process.
No, it should not be legal. I believe marriage was intended for 1 man and 1 woman.
Quoting SamanthaLarae:
No, it should not be legal. I believe marriage was intended for 1 man and 1 woman.
And you have every right to believe as you like about marriage but neither you, nor the govt, have the right to impose that belief on others by rule of law.
Church of The Invisible Pink Unicorn (blessed be her holy hooves)
Eight Year Old Girl Given "Catastrophe Award" By Teacher
Should P. Diddy's son return $54,000 college scholarship?
- Cafe GroupAdmin
on Oct. 27, 2009 at 3:25 AM