Polygamist leader: Arrest is religious persecution

The leader of a polygamous community in western Canada said Thursday that authorities are engaging in religious persecution by charging him with practicing polygamy.Winston Blackmore, who was arrested Wednesday, claimed there are tens of thousands of polygamists across Canada but said his religious sect is being singled out, disregarding his right to religious freedom.

Polygamy in Canada

The ball is in Canada's court now! Will this be solely about polygamy or will we see Winston explain how he took Lorraine Johnson at age 15? When Suzan Mazur did her story, she recorded her interview with Raymond Johnson who tried to state his daughter age 15 rented a car to go to Canada, with him giving consent. Of course legally Winston was married to his first and legal wife Jane at that time. Then there is that nagging question of how many were American girls in the first place? Canadians have been footing the bill to educate Winstons girlfriends kids, if they were not legal unions, then why did Canada pay? Beyond paying for their private schoolling, what else were Cadadians paying for? Blackmore & Sons had several businesses, were these women funded asthough unwed mothers? Did Winston claim these kids as dependents and if so which ones? The FLDS has the highest rate of Fumarase Disease in the world from their recess gene in marrying cousins or closer, was this a known issue in Canada? It explained Warren's need to access Blackmore girls from Canada, but what did it mean to the FLDS of Canada? Winston was fined a few years ago for Workman's comp violations, who determined his use of free or under paid family labor? When he ran the school and married girls from his school, did he violate the partner in authority figure, under age of consent laws? I can sit her all day, wondering the concerns of a few dozen issues. Polygamy may be the broader issue, but what about other laws violated? Then if the FLDS fragmented in the states then chose to relocate to Canada, as they did to Texas, are Canadians prepared for that? If legalized in Canada, I guess we could have 3 contacts or unions, with 6 men and 11 women, some straight, a few bi-sexual and several gay or lesbian, but 3 overlapping unions, legal under the law. Who could claim custody, child support, food stamps, health benefits, adoption rights, public assistance or alimony, will be decisions for the courts and income for the lawyers, but in the end, billed to the taxpayers. What did INS have to say? Canada INS Interview #1 in 2000 Carol remarks at what her government knew; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_DlDojGCi0 Canada INS interview #2 in September of 2000; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzQBHb248WA Canada INS Interview #3 in the year 2000; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Z3FMJxrSY Interview with Canada INS tape #4 in 2000; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ95YXggUPs

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