bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Wency Leung

Tucked away in the quiet, southeastern corner of  British Columbia, Winston Blackmore  presides over a polygamist colony called Bountiful, where he lives with his estimated 20 wives and their more than 100 children.

Polygamy is illegal in Canada. Yet for years, Mr Blackmore, 50, called the 'Bishop of Bountiful', and other followers of their fundamentalist branch of the Mormon religion have continued the practice of multiple marriages, on occasion taking brides as young as 15 years old.

So far, they have eluded criminal charges.

Although the country's ban on polygamy was enacted in 1892, it has rarely ever been enforced. Prosecutors fear cases tried under the polygamy law could be thrown out of court, as the ban could be trumped by Canada's constitution, which protects freedom of religion.

But if Vancouver lawyer Richard Peck has his way, Canadian courts will soon clarify the legality of the polygamy ban once and for all.

'The legality of polygamy in Canada has for too long been characterised by uncertainty,' Mr Peck wrote in an August 1 report to the provincial Ministry of the Attorney General. 'The integrity of the legal system suffers from such an impasse, and an authoritative statement from the courts is necessary in order to resolve [the legal controversy].'

Having long struggled under public pressure to crack down on Bountiful, the ministry appointed Mr Peck as a special prosecutor in May to advise it on whether authorities had sufficient evidence and legal grounds to charge members of the community with polygamy and possible sex-related offences.

Women who have left the colony, including Mr Blackmore's ex-wife Jane, have spoken publicly about girls under the age of 16 being forced to marry older men in the community and have their children.

Critics have also alleged that children in Bountiful do not receive adequate education in the community's independent schools.

Fuelling public uproar over what many perceive is a flagrant disregard for the law, Mr Blackmore has spoken openly on a number of occasions about the community's unorthodox lifestyle.

In December, he appeared on CNN's Larry King Live to discuss his multiple marriages.

'Our family structure is ... about far more than just sex,' he told  King. 'It's about families.'

He added: 'I didn't go courting me up a bunch of wives. These people just came into my life.'

Mr Blackmore said that he and his large family supported each other through their various businesses, including farming, trucking and wood processing. He was born into a polygamist family and grew up with 30 brothers and sisters. He said that while he did not have any legal marriage licences, his church sanctioned his relationships.

Mr Blackmore said at least two of his wives were under the age of 16 when he married them, although none was  underage now.

He has repeatedly declined to reveal exactly how many wives and children he has, but he is reported to have been married as many as 20 times and is believed to have about 105 children.

Mr Blackmore also said he knew of at least one incidence of intermarriage between family members, although such practices 'should not happen'.

In 1990, police investigating Bountiful - which still has about 700 members - had recommended criminal charges against community members under the polygamy law. However, prosecutors decided not to proceed because of legal doubts.

In 2006, police again recommended charges against individuals in Bountiful, this time for sex offences involving minors.

But after reviewing their findings, Mr Peck concluded  that there was not enough evidence  to prosecute.

Mr Peck said he considered a range of possible sexual and marriage-related offences, including procuring sexual activity by a parent or guardian, human trafficking, bigamy, procuring feigned marriage, pretending to solemnise marriage and marriage contrary to law. He also considered the criminal offence of sexual exploitation, wherein an adult who is in a position of trust or authority has sexual contact with a young person between the ages of 14 and 18. He decided, however that there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

The challenge of getting women to testify to being victims of sexual abuse was the reason Mr Peck could not find sufficient evidence to lay charges, said Neil MacKenzie, a spokesman for the criminal justice branch of the Ministry of Attorney General.

'Generally here, there was no individual [coming forth with] a complaint of lack of consent,' he said.

Mr MacKenzie said authorities were also unable to pursue charges on the basis that young women were exploited by adults in a position of trust or authority.

Because individuals aren't likely to be convicted, Mr Peck recommended that the ministry ask the provincial Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada, the country's highest court, to rule on the constitutional validity of the polygamy law.

'Polygamy is the underlying phenomenon from which all the other alleged harms flow, and the public interest would best be served by addressing it directly,' he wrote.

He added that it was unlikely the ban was polygamy would be held unconstitutional.

'Religious freedom in Canada is not absolute. Rather it is subject to reasonable limits necessary to protect 'public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others',' he wrote.

The Ministry of the Attorney General is considering Mr Peck's recommendations and will soon decide whether to follow them.

But some aren't entirely satisfied with the outcome of the special prosecutor's report.

Nancy Mereska,  an activist who leads a campaign called Stop Polygamy in Canada, said it was not surprising that the prosecutor found no one to complain about sexual consent because young women within the community were 'brainwashed'.

'They are brainwashed into thinking that if they are speak out against the leaders ... they will be cut off from God and become daughters of perdition and they will burn in hell,' she said.

Ms Mereska belonged to the Mormon Church before splitting from her former husband, a steadfast follower, 20 years ago.

The mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is separate from the fundamentalist faith practised in Bountiful. It disavowed polygamy in 1890.

Mr Blackmore's community originates from a break-away US sect led by Warren Jeffs,  who was arrested in August 2006 and charged with arranging marriages between underage girls and older men in Utah and Arizona.  Jeffs is scheduled to stand trial next month.  Bountiful split from his sect in 2003.

Ms Mereska said she could sympathise with the women of Bountiful as she was stuck for years in a repressive, patriarchal relationship herself.

She believed it was a lack of political will, and not a lack of evidence or legal grounds, that has so far prevented authorities from cracking down on Bountiful.

While she approved of the idea of asking the courts to decide on the validity of the polygamy ban, she questioned why authorities did not do so when police initially investigated the community nearly two decades ago.

'That's my feeling. Why wasn't it done years ago?' Ms  Mereska asked.



How the 'Bishop of Bountiful' gets away with polygamy