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Ontario's Liberal government should follow British Columbia's lead and launch a criminal investigation into polygamist marriages in the province, Conservative Lisa MacLeod said today.
MacLeod wrote Premier Dalton McGuinty requesting the investigation after media reports about a Toronto Imam, Aly Hindy, who claimed to have officiated at more than 30 polygamous marriages in Toronto.
She raised the issue several times in the legislature in the past week but received only denials that polygamy was a problem in Ontario.
"If these stories as reported are true, which I believe them to be, then a criminal investigation is warranted," wrote MacLeod.
"This Imam is poking his finger in our eyes and saying he will continue to do this illegally," she complained in an exclusive interview with The Canadian Press. "For the government to hide its head in the sand on this issue is troubling to me. They literally laughed at me in the legislature."
MacLeod noted the problem with polygamist marriages under investigation in British Columbia involved a different religion than the one in Ontario, but said in both cases the rule of law should be upheld on marriages and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms when it comes to gender equality.
"Nothing incenses a young woman like me than to say we are unequal, that I'm insubordinate," said the 33 year old MacLeod. ``It's a real problem."
B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal said Monday that public concerns about older men marrying young girls and men with multiple wives at the polygamous community of Bountiful played a strong part in the decision to review whether charges of sexual abuse and polygamy are warranted against members of the religious group.
Oppal directed the criminal justice branch to appoint a special prosecutor to look into allegations of misconduct in Bountiful, located near Creston in southeastern B.C.
"B.C. has given Premier Dalton McGuinty the opportunity to act and to respond and to be decisive," said MacLeod.
She said polygamous marriages clearly violates the Criminal Code and the Ontario Marriages Act and should be investigated by police.Attorney General Chris Bentley told the legislature Monday that police will conduct investigations and will contact prosecutors if they feel there is reasonable grounds to believe an offence has been committed.
He told MacLeod that Canada's laws will always trump religious laws.
"We are always one that will uphold the law of Canada as outlined in the criminal code," said Bentley.
"The Canadian law is paramount. End of story."
This article was found at:http://www.thestar.com/News/
Ontario/article/435797
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