General

Polygamy ban goes before B.C. court

Attorney general asking for ruling on constitutional validity

Canada’s ban on polygamy will come under the scrutiny of the B.C. Supreme Court following the failed prosecution of religious leaders from the Mormon community of Bountiful. B.C.’s attorney general is asking the court to rule on whether a law against polygamy violates religious protections outlined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and whether all polygamy should be illegal, or just marriages involving minors or exploitation. The B.C. Civil Liberties Association, which is against the ban, and the West Coast Legal Action Fund, which says the current law helps protect vulnerable women and children, are both expected to take part in the trial. Canada would become the first developed country to decriminalize polygamy if the law is struck down.

CBC News

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