Winston Blackmore
Winston Blackmore is the leader of Canada’s largest polygamist group. For two decades, Blackmore was the bishop of the Bountiful, British Columbia group of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church), a polygamist community in the Creston Valley. In September 2002, FLDS Church president Warren Jeffs excommunicated him. The community of Bountiful was split nearly in half—about 700 people continue to follow Blackmore, while about 500 follow Jeffs.
Blackmore was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in January 2009 and charged with polygamy.[1]
As of June 30, 2010, Blackmore has married 25 times and has a total of 121 children.[2]
He is the nephew of former Social Credit Party of Canada leader John Horne Blackmore who, though not a polygamist himself, was excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1947 for "teaching and advocating the doctrine of plural marriage". As an MP, the elder Blackmore urged Parliament to repeal the anti-polygamy law and succeeded in removing specific references to Mormons that had been in the law.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Daphne Bramham (May 12, 2006). "Winston Blackmore: Polygamist group’s leader expects to be charged soon". The Vancouver Sun. http://www.religionnewsblog.com/14626/winston-blackmore-polygamist-groups-leader-expects-to-be-charged-soon. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
- ^ ctv.ca (June 30, 2009). "B.C. polygamist wedded nine girls under 18". CTV BC. http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090630/BC_polygamy_blackmore_wives_090630/20090630?hub=BritishColumbiaHome. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
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