| LIBERALS KEEP PASSING POLYGAMY HOT POTATO: MACLEOD |
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| Sunday, 01 June 2008 19:00 |
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PC MPP DEMANDS INVESTIGATION INTO ILLEGAL MARRIAGES “LIBERALS KEEP PASSING POLYGAMY HOT POTATO”: MACLEOD For Immediate Release June 2nd, 2008 (QUEEN’S PARK)- PC MPP Lisa MacLeod today demanded the McGuinty Liberals undertake an investigation into the illegal polygamist marriages taking place in Toronto. “I’ve asked the Attorney General to take this matter seriously and call an investigation but the Liberals are passing this issue around the cabinet table like a hot potato," lamented MacLeod. MacLeod pointed out the third Minister in Dalton McGuinty's cabinet has ignored the reality that illegal polygamist marriages are taking place in Toronto, even amid published reports and her demands they uphold the rule of law and gender equality rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. "Today the Attorney General, while finally agreeing polygamy is illegal, continued to ignore reality. Like the Minister’s of Women’s Issues and Government and Consumer Services, the Attorney General refuses to acknowledge polygamy is being practiced in Toronto”, said MacLeod. Under section 293 under the Criminal Code polygamy is illegal. So too is any kind of conjugal union with one or more persons at the same time, whether or not it is legally registered. “The liberals are continually turning a blind eye on this issue, they need to consider the impacts on children, gender equality rights under the Charter and of course the criminal code at some point. That is why I have called on the McGuinty Liberals to uphold the rule of law by investigating and enforcing the law on those who are breaking the law by performing or engaging in illegal polygamist marriages.” -30- LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO Monday 2 June 2008 Polygamy Question Ms. Lisa MacLeod: To the Minister of Government and Consumer Services. Under section 293 of the Criminal Code, it is clear polygamy is illegal, and so is any kind of conjugal union with one or more persons at the same time, whether or not it is legally registered. This is contrary to what the minister stated in question period last week. Would the minister like to correct the record, and will the minister finally begin to enforce the law and equality rights for women? Hon. Ted McMeekin: It’s a legal question that should go to the Attorney General. Hon. Christopher Bentley: As the member probably knows, the Criminal Code is quite clear. The section has been there for some period of time and it is being enforced and prosecutions will be conducted if the investigation by the police—and they do the investigation—reveals information on which there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe an offence has been committed. If we receive the charge, then the prosecution is conducted accordingly. Ms. Lisa MacLeod: John Turley-Ewart today in the National Post says you are “giving [a] licence to shariah by stealth.” The minister knows fell well that polygamy is illegal in this country. It is so in the Criminal Code of Canada. There are many documented cases within the last week, whether you’re reading the National Post, the Toronto Star or listening to AM640. Does the minister agree with Imam Hindy, who was quoted as saying, “If the laws of the country conflict with Islamic law, if one goes against the other, then I am going to follow Islamic law, simple as that,” or will the minister put Canadian law first and will he launch an investigation into these illegal polygamist marriages, which are happening right here in the city of Toronto? Hon. Christopher Bentley: For all the commentary, the minister said no such thing. The minister has always taken the position, as we all do, that Canadian law in the Criminal Code is the one that is first and foremost and paramount. That’s why we made certain decisions that we did during the last mandate. We are always one that will uphold the law of Canada as outlined in the criminal code. From our perspective, if allegations are investigated by the police and the police determine that there is evidence on which to found a charge, that charge will come to the Ministry of the Attorney General’s department, to the crown attorneys and those charges will be prosecuted in the normal course. The Canadian law is paramount—end of story. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO Monday 2 June 2008 Polygamy Statement Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I must say, the Liberals have officially buried their heads in the sand. I’ve never been more disappointed in a group than I have been in this Liberal government by refusing to uphold the rule of law and gender equality rights. By allowing and endorsing illegal polygamous marriages, they are, as John Turley-Ewart says, “giving licence to shariah by stealth.” Real people are suffering because this Liberal government is ignoring reality. Safia Rigby, a 35-year-old mother of five, learned just the other day that her husband had another wife. He was multiply married by an imam, Aly Hindy, who justifies polygamy this way: “If the laws of the country conflict with Islamic law, if one goes against the other, then I am going to follow Islamic law, simple as that.” That’s why. Others, like Alia Hogben of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, ask, “Why are they so wishy-washy? Why aren’t the officials doing something” about it? I intend to do something about it, even though the Liberals are passing around illegal polygamous marriages like a hot potato around the cabinet table. I am therefore calling on the McGuinty Liberal government to uphold the rule of law by investigating and enforcing the law on these illegal polygamous marriages. Surely the Liberals will consider the impacts on children and gender equality rights under the Charter of Rights of Freedoms; of course, they will consider the Criminal Code of Canada—or are they secretly putting forward another agenda to bring forward shariah law in Ontario? These questions need to be asked; they need to be answered by the members opposite and I demand that they do so. |