Makin Bacon... er, Bail

In Canada, bail is ordinarily given to accused while they're awaiting trial. It's part of the presumption of innocence. No reason to keep someone in jail while we still haven't found him guilty of anything.

There are limits to who gets bail and even those who do get released often have to agree to certain conditions - surrender passport, report every so often to police, no drinking or drugs, stay X-hundred yards away from a particular place or person, etc.

But the condition imposed on Winston Blackmore, leader of one faction of the Bountiful polygamist community in southeastern B.C. is a first. He's free pending trial but - he has to stop getting married until the polygamy case is resolved.

Stop getting married?

The government knows that it has a slim chance of winning its case. A gaggle of Crown Attorneys have examined the case and opined it was a loser. Freedom of religion, they believe, will crush the polygamy law.

There's a real prospect that, should the government lose, polygamy could become lawful in Canada. I assume that would only apply to faiths that embrace the practice - like Islam or the Mormons or, my favourite, the Church of What's Happening Now.

I'm no fan of polygamy but I guess I could tolerate it so long as (a) it didn't create any undue burdens on society and (b) the women were adults and did it of their own free will, not subject to any intimidation or coercion.