The Canadian government is softly reminding embassy and consular staff in the region of the world that Canada doesn't recognize immigrants who plan to practice polygamy in Canada.
The cue comes after documents obtained through right of entry to information and supplied to QMI Agency showed that bureaucrats in outposts for instance Saudi Arabia and Morocco have been forced to contract with the issue of polygamy as they evaluate immigration and temporary visitor applications.
“The standing of being a polygamist is not grounds in and of itself to refute entry to an applicant looking for coming to Canada on a temporary basis,” reads a draft document developed by the national headquarters for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
The document makes obvious though that the practice of polygamy can't be permissible in Canada. “If the candidate has practiced in polygamous marriages or marital relationships in the past at the same time as in Canada, or states or gives cause for an immigration officer to consider that they will practice in polygamous marriages or conjugal relationships some time ago in Canada, then the applicant is not allowed,” the document states.
The document goes on to explain a variety of scenarios that immigration officers may face and what must be done. In one instance, a second or third wife of a person in Canada attempt to go into the country as a student. That individual would likely be deemed not allowed, “Based on the sensible expectation that her polygamous relationship would be practiced in Canada.”
A representative with Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s office told QMI that the department is doing its best to stay polygamy out of Canada.
“What the released e-mail shows is that our officials are watchful,” said spokesman Alykhan Velshi. “The minister has asked the division to investigate this to see if there are any dodge, and if there are, to close them."
The subject of polygamy is presently previous to the courts in Canada as well. The Government of British Columbia has asked the courts to rule on the constitutionality of laws banning polygamy in Canada. In addition to the fundamentalist Mormon sect that practices polygamy in Bountiful, BC; there have been more than a few media reports over the history few years concerning polygamy happening in Canada’s immigrant Muslim communities.
