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	A Brief History of Polygamy and the Mormon Movement The Province January 8, 2009 http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=adc82fe9-f515-47af-973d-d6bfe42c4b3b l 1843: Through a "revelation," the Mormons' first prophet, Joseph Smith Jr., justifies polygamy. Some say the "revelation" was mainly to convince his wife Emma that he should take a second wife. Smith was killed in 1844 by a mob while awaiting trial for ordering the destruction of a local printing press, which was threatening to publicize his sexual misconduct.. l 1890: Canada officially prohibits polygamy. Many polygamists in Canada begin living with one wife, leaving other wives in the U.S.. l 1896: The main Mormon church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, renounces polygamy. Fundamentalists break away and set up underground groups.. l 1947: Ex-communicated Mormons set up Bountiful, a commune near Creston (seen below).. l 1990-91: Women speak out about sex abuse at the commune. Three men are charged and convicted.. l 1992: B.C. says it will not prosecute two polygamists from Bountiful and says the criminal code outlawing polygamy is unconstitutional -- a conflict of legal opinions between Ottawa and Victoria.. l 1993: Immigration Canada confirms it is looking at women being brought to the commune from Utah and Arizona.. l 1993-2000: The commune more than doubles in size. The group's members sit on the regional health council and petition the government for tax dollars for education and health facilities.. l July 2004: Attorney-General Geoff Plant announces a police and government investigation into allegations of sexual and child abuse and forced marriage at Bountiful.. l Sept. 2004: Debbie Palmer, who fled Bountiful in 1988, joins seven other woman in filing a human rights tribunal complaint, alleging gross discrimination against women and girls at the commune. l April 2005: Polygamists open themselves up to public exposure as the men and women of Bountiful defended their lifestyle at a one-night summit on polygamy in Creston. l May 2007: Attorney-General Wally Oppal appoints Richard Peck as independent special prosecutor to review the RCMP file and investigate whether charges should be laid against members of the Bountiful polygamist community. l August 2007: Independent special prosecutor Peck concludes that no criminal charges should be laid because there was not "substantial likelihood of conviction." l September 2007: Oppal directs the criminal justice branch to retain Len Doust to review Peck's decision. Doust comes to the same conclusion. l June 2008: The third special prosecutor since May 2007 is appointed. Oppal appoints Terrence Robertson. l January 2009: Bountiful leaders Winston Blackmore and James Oler are arrested on charges of polygamy. The arrests are the culmination of a seven-month charge-assessment review by special prosecutor Robertson..
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