Canada's Polygamy law on trial - Will history repeat itself?

Today I spent the day in court, but its' not about me. Canada's 1890 anti-polygamy law is on trial.

So why am I here? Maybe its' my six generations of monogamous Mormon ancestry that came from Europe and lived in Utah during the US government's anti-polygamy prosecutions? Perhaps its' because my Mormon ancestors were sent to Canada by the LDS church only a few years after Canada passed Section 293 of the criminal code that banned Mormon Polygamy in this country. While they remained monogamous, some of their church leaders continued to practice polygamy, being authorized by the LDS church, until at least 1904. Or maybe its because, thanks to a family coincidence, I have many wonderful cousins who were born and raised in the Bountiful FLDS community.

Whatever the reason, I can only hope that this massive legal undertaking - which employs at least 30 courtroom lawyers and will last up to 3 months - will do something positive for the many, many children and over-stressed parents that make up Bountiful.

If the government really can't find a better way to spend this money....

At least, please don't let it do more harm than good.

That is my prayer.


CBC News - British Columbia - Deny polygamy legal protection, lawyer urges