Bountiful charges pit neighbour against neighbour

Winston Blackmore and James Oler, the two leaders of the fundamentalist Mormon community of Bountiful, B.C. charged with taking multiple wives, are slated to appear in court for the first time today. As the Vancouver Sun’s Daphne Bramham writes, the charges throw into relief some of the tensions around Bountiful’s polygamist practices in nearby Creston, B.C. “Nothing more starkly illustrates the town’s and maybe even the country’s split over polygamy than Blackmore’s defence team," writes Bramham. "It includes Blair Suffredine, the former Liberal MLA for Nelson-Creston, who during his single term had several meetings with local activists who urged him to do something about Bountiful.” Suffredine never did act upon those agitating for change. Now his involvement in the case has prompted concern over conflict of interest. Others are increasingly angry over the treatment of women in Bountiful.

The Vancouver Sun