Polygamy is bad, but religious polygamy worse: lawyer

VANCOUVER — A B.C. government lawyer says polygamy isn't illegal because it's a religious practice -- but he says religion certainly makes it worse.
The B.C. Supreme Court is examining whether Canada's law against polygamy is constitutional, and the provincial and federal governments are arguing in closing submissions that the practice is inherently harmful and the law should be upheld.
Critics of the law, including residents of the polygamous commune of Bountiful, B.C., claim the ban on multiple marriage infringes on their religious freedom and targets polygamists because of their faith.
B.C government lawyer Craig Jones insists polygamy is illegal because it is harmful to women and children, regardless of whether it's a religious practice.
Still, Jones says polygamy that is motivated by religion, such as in Bountiful, is more harmful because religion is used as an instrument of control.
He also rejects the argument that the secrecy in Bountiful would disappear if polygamy were decriminalized, saying the community would still cover up crimes inherently linked to polygamy, such as child sexual abuse and human trafficking.

Nini/ctv.ca