Imam flaunts contempt for Canadian Law
MCC urges police to lay charges against polygamous Muslim men


TORONTO - The Muslim Canadian Congress has asked Toronto and Peel Regional Police to investigate the growing number of polygamous marriages and charge those who are committing this crime and committing welfare fraud.

The MCC said in a statement that it is appalled by the news that a significant number of fundamentalist Muslims are practicing polygamy in Canada despite the fact that Canadian law only supports monogamous unions.

The statement said it is reprehensible that some Muslims are using a loophole in the application of the law at the provincial level to justify the practice of polygamy that should have no place in this day and age.

The fact that these Muslims in polygamous unions are collecting social benefits funded by Ontario tax dollars while claiming to be practicing Islam, makes it incumbent on all Muslim Canadians to expose those who tarnish the good name of Islam and bring disrepute to the Muslim community.

The MCC said it was troubled that although the provincial law states that it only recognizes one spouse as legal, the other members of such unions can claim benefits as independent applicants.

The MCC as a secular Muslim organization repudiates the practice of polygamy on grounds that it is degrading and unfair to Muslim women. The inherent injustice of such a practice, despite the rationale offered by fundamentalist Muslims in its support is undeniable.

The MCC is therefore urging the provincial government to put an end to such practices with immediate effect. Muslims, for their part must denounce the continuation of the practice in this day and age when the original reasons for its permissibility no longer exist.