Oppal's tack on polygamy likely best course; Winston Blackmore, James Marion Oler facing charges

• Published in: Province (Vancouver, B.C.)
• Main Author: Thompson, Joey
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vancouver, B.C Postmedia Network Inc 12.01.2009
• Subjects: Criminal investigations

Neither path -- to criminally try two unbridled, self-willed leaders of a commune near Creston on polygamy charges, or to head directly to B.C.'s top court for a ruling on the constitutionality of multiple mates -- is a slam-dunk; both would be costly, fractious and fraught with procedural obstacles. I was all set to slam [Oppal]'s decision to prosecute -- persuaded, in part, by top lawyers Richard Peck's and Len Doust's concerns that a criminal trial, with all its trappings, pretrial motions and matters, could take years and millions of dollars. Oppal is convinced that B.C.'s Court of Appeal, as well as the country's top court, will come around to his way of thinking: That in some other societies middle-aged men like [Winston Blackmore] and [James Marion Oler] would be free to frolic with as many wives as they can keep up with, but not in this country because such multi-family conduct thrives on abuses Canadians have condemned -- gender inequality and sexual exploitation of women and kids.