Table of Contents
Introduction
Polygamy is a marriage practice where a spouse of either sex entertains more than one mate at the same time. On the other side, crime can be described as an activity that is perceived as evil, shameful or wrong according to the norms commonly known as sin. It also includes all actions considered illegal pronounced by the constitution of a particular country. According to Bailey M. (2016), Canada banned all forms of polygamy and other informal sexual relationships under Sect. 293 and Sect. 290 of the Criminal Code. However, the question of whether polygamy is a crime has arisen due to the inefficiency of the law banning polygamy.
Should Polygamy be a Crime in Canada?
In Canada, polygamy is illegal but the custom is decriminalized due to the rise of the Islamic religion by immigration which allows for polygamy. Religious freedom has however posed a high question on whether polygamy to be considered illegal by the constitution which also allows for a religious freedom. Ahmed W. (2014) listed Canada to be harboring a large number of Islamic immigrants which leads to the adoption of the Islamic culture which views polygamy as a normality.
It is believed that polygamy for the rich people does not harm the women hence not a crime. Winston Blackmore one of the polygamists in Canada together with James Oler were found guilty after decades when their wives reported an assault to the court. Therefore, polygamy is acceptable where there is respect to the original marriage such that there will be no human assault. This opens a window to helping other poor women by supporting as many as one could afford.
A polygamy arrived by a discussion with the first spouse is many times allowed and not considered crime since it cares for the human rights of decision making. It is a benefit to either of the spouses where work is got to be subdivided and it becomes easy. Less workload for the person is enjoyed as a result making life more efficient and more productive. This enhances happiness among families which satisfies either spouse.
Subsequently, according to Daenzer P. (2016), polygamy is socially shunned and viewed as an immoral practice among spouses. This makes it be considered a sin without any reason just because some of the people cultures do not accept the norm. Due to this, many governments have voted out the bill and it has been made illegal to practice polygamy.
It is believed that by the practice of polygamy, one spouse would be deprived of his or her sex rights since he or she may have a timetable on when to meet one another. This poses a question on the satisfaction of the other spouse in case of polygamy. It is therefore not supported by practice since it deprives one of his or her rights. After marriage, a spouse is entitled to sexual satisfaction by a right which becomes limited by polygamy.
According to Ahmed W. (2014), a possibility of depriving the children the right to education is high due to the difficulty in raising large families. This makes polygamy un-acceptable since it violates the rights of the offspring. It should be a practice that will support the well-being of the entire family. Polygamy, therefore, takes love from the children to the spouses with which one might acquire leaving a gap in the society which needs the children to be cared for.
The human rights are the key factor in this discussion where more of human rights are curtailed by denying polygamy. In my opinion, if a consultation and discussion are engaged between the spouses to arrive at the polygamy decision, it will be right for anyone. This is because it gives an opportunity to contribute and make decisions by the individual. It also ensures strong families where cheating is minimal since the women or men know each other. This brings a peace of mind to the second spouse since he or she knows the where about of the other spouse in most times.
Polygamy by consent ensures acceptance and positive take towards one another which encourages care and responsibility to other members of the family like the children. Pooling of resources gives a good opportunity to live good amongst family members reducing the expected chaos between partners.
Acceptance among one another minimizes the media attention by stirring the social acceptance and positive preview of the practice. Canada being in a developed environment, polygamy would ensure a continuous thrive of the economy by enabling productivity among members. The engaging discussion gives an opportunity to wave away any possibility of jealousy among the partners. One a spouse has consented for such a practice, it could, therefore, cultivate good relationships between partners leading to strong bonds (Bailey M., 2016).
Conclusion
Polygamy’s legality varies widely in different countries. In Canada, it is illegal despite the fact that it is being decriminalized due to the rise of Islamic immigrants and different perception on the same. The activity is considered a crime on the occasions when it violates the human rights in a marriage set-up. At the same time, it is considered constructive when it takes care of human rights in the marriage set-up.
- Ahmed, W. (2014). Old Wine in a New Bottle: Analyzing the Impacts of Polygamy Inadmissibility Under Bill S-7 on Immigration Law.
- Bailey, M. (2016). should Polygamy Be a crime?. The Polygamy Question, 210-27.
- Daenzer, P. (2016). Migration, post-migration policies and social integration in Canada. In The Integration and Protection of Immigrants (pp. 27-46). Routledge.