Legalized Polygamy Coming to a Canada Near You...

The leaders of the Mormon group in Bountiful, BC were arrested in January for polygamy. According to a CBC report - "Blackmore and James Oler were charged with one count each on Tuesday of breaching Section 293 of the Criminal Code — which bans polygamy — by entering into a conjugal relationship with more than one individual at a time."

When I heard the news that day I immediately asked - "now how long until polygamy is legalized in Canada?" We have already redefined marriage in Canada to include same sex partners. Marriage is now seen as a legal contract that can be negotiated and defined as we deem fit. The definition of marriage was changed because it was seen as discriminatory to limit marriage to only those in a male/female relationship. The rights of same sex couples were being abused and therefore marriage must be extended to those in same sex relationships also. And, so it is in Canada.

So, as far as I see it, how is it not discriminatory to limit marriage to those who are in a relationship with more than "one individual?" What about the rights of the polygamist? Does he not also have rights? Of course he does. By this logic, and I see it as unavoidable, polygamy will be legal in Canada shortly. The only way polygamy will not be legalized is if the argument is made that it is not "good" or we "don't like it" or "marriage has never been defined that way in Western culture." Of course, none of those arguments held up against same sex marriage in Canada - so it certainly will not hold up against polygamy.

So, polygamy is coming to Canada. What does this mean? I am curious to find out. I suspect we may have some people from Utah making the move North.

However, the question that keeps popping into my mind - what next? We have created marriage in our own image. Same sex couples. Soon to be polygamy. What next? I can't imagine.