If Winston Blackmore were a poker player, he’d probably be one of the richest men in Canada, or at least the Kootenays. As it is, Blackmore is rich in wives and children and making fools out of his critics as we saw last week when the government of B.C. dropped its polygamy case against him and his polygamist rival James Oler.

Blackmore laughed so hard at the news; I thought I heard him in Cranbrook. His wives were laughing too. And why not? Canada prides itself on being a diverse, tolerant, society where everyone’s rights are constitutionally protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Blackmore is supposed to have a copy of the Charter on the wall behind his desk.

And he seldom fails to point it out when visitors ask questions. Doesn’t the Charter guarantee freedom of religion? (he rightfully asks) Doesn’t the Charter apply to me? (right again) Then how can you charge me with polygamy which is my constitutionally protected right under the Charter? (again right).

Even the Canadian legal establishment seems to be on Blackmore’s side as they rule in his favour time after time. But what about this? I invent a new religion and accumulate a lot of followers (pure fantasy, of course). After a divine “revelation,” I decide that all left-handed people in the country are evil and must thrown in jail to protect the public. . (in the past there was much prejudice against left-handers). Now if I and my followers actually engaged in this mad and barbaric practice of locking up left-handers, how long do you think it would be before we were charged with unlawful confinement and convicted?

Do you think the argument that we were doing it for “religious” reasons would wash? I don’t think so either. Then why does it work for Winston?