Bountiful, B.C. is polygamist town in south central British Columbia. In 1946 Harold Blackmore purchased property near the town of Lister; before long other fundamentalist Mormon families followed. This “plural marriage” haven was named Bountiful in the 1980’s under the leadership of Bishop Winston Blackmore. Since then the population has grown from 600 to around 1000; conservative estimates credit half a dozen men for “bountiful” growth.
About half the residents are members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints (FDLS), the rest are a break away sect following Winston Blackmore; who concluded FDLS leader Warren Jeffs had become too dictatorial. Prior to Warren Jeffs 2006 conviction for rape, Jeffs was a frequent visitor to Bountiful.
In 2007 the Province of B.C. appointed lawyer Richard Peck as a “special prosecutor” investigating allegations of polygamy. Peck concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to charge members under the Canadian criminal code; allegations of rape, sexual exploitation and abuse, where likely to be met by uncooperative witnesses claiming “religious freedom”. Peck suggested the province sort the matter out in front of a judge – specifically determining if section 293 of the criminal was constitutional. In 2011 the Supreme Court of British Columbia upheld the polygamy law.
293. Polygamy
293. (1) Every one who
(a) practises or enters into or in any manner agrees or consents to practise or enter into
(i) any form of polygamy, or
(ii) any kind of conjugal union with more than one person at the same time,
whether or not it is by law recognized as a binding form of marriage, or
(b) celebrates, assists or is a party to a rite, ceremony, contract or consent that purports to sanction a relationship mentioned in subparagraph (a)(i) or (ii),
is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
Evidence in case of polygamy
(2) Where an accused is charged with an offence under this section, no averment or proof of the method by which the alleged relationship was entered into, agreed to or consented to is necessary in the indictment or on the trial of the accused, nor is it necessary on the trial to prove that the persons who are alleged to have entered into the relationship had or intended to have sexual intercourse.
Call me crazy but I just don’t get it. Despite a clearly defined criminal code, close ties to the YFZ ranch in Texas (dozens of children placed in state custody in a 2008 raid following accusations of sexual abuse), multiple allegations of abuse by Winston Blackmore -some resulting in charges later tossed out of court – Bountiful thrives with impunity. The province stopped funding Bountiful’s schools in 2012 – all but a handful now home schooled – I’m sure that had them shaking in their boots. Warren Jeffs went to jail, Sister Wives aired on TV and now everything is sunshine and roses? Yeah, right.
“Religious freedom” doesn’t mean getting away with forced marriage and sexual abuse. What good is law if religion gets to thumb their noses at it?
notestoponder 
Good post, been following for a while. With a law a clear as that, how could you not have enough evidence? Build a family tree and do some DNA testomg, all the children coming from the same 6 men? How are we ok with this? Once the next generation starts procreating there are also laws against close relationship marriages because of close blood relations… this is just wrong in general.
religion has long been an escape or way around the law to do all sorts of creepy and weird things.
What an interesting town history. Never heard of it. Seems odd they would say there is no evidence.
What politician wants to be known for taking on religious freedom? Opening that can of worms is lowest of the low on political agendas. The law is clear, abuse and sexual exploitation are no secret, yet all that happens is our government pulls the plug on school funding. It’s crazy.
The same area of B.C. has this piece of history…
Nice post, it is amazing how there are pockets of these ‘stories’ scattered throughout the USA and Canada… Have you ever read “Under the Banner of Heaven” by Jon Krakauer (about the Fundamentalist LDS). Great book.
B.C.’s Kooteney region has been home to some unusual groups of people. Take a look at this post…
I haven’t heard of that book but will check it out. I find it fascinating how no elected politician wants to be the one to tackle the issue. As explained in the above post; it wasn’t a problem in the 1950’s – strange how times have changed. I don’t necessarily agree with the Doukobors treatment yet find it beyond reason that abuse within the FDLS is ignored. 🙂
That what hits me as strange as well… Politically it is ignored, so socially it becomes ignored as well. When I read Krakauer’s book my first inclination was to go visit the place, stay a while to see if it really was all true…and perhaps find a wife or three 🙂
You might find this interesting!
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Reviews/King-Mswati-gets-a-15th-wife/-/691232/2000186/-/p8p5bvz/-/index.html
And of course our very own el Presidente Jacob Zuma
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Zuma