Winston Blackmore
Encyclopedia
Winston Blackmore is the leader of Canada’s largest polygamist group. For two decades, Blackmore was the bishop of the Bountiful, British Columbia
group of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
(FLDS Church), a polygamist community in the Creston Valley
. In September 2002, FLDS Church president Warren Jeffs
excommunicated him. The community of Bountiful was split nearly in half—about 700 people continue to follow Blackmore, while about 500 follow Jeffs.
Blackmore was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
in January 2009 and charged with polygamy.
As of June 30, 2010, Blackmore has married 25 times and has a total of 121 children.
He is the nephew of former Social Credit Party of Canada
leader John Horne Blackmore
who, though not a polygamist himself, was excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1947 for "teaching and advocating the doctrine of plural marriage". As an MP, the elder Blackmore urged Parliament to repeal the anti-polygamy law and succeeded in removing specific references to Mormons that had been in the law.
Bountiful, British Columbia
Bountiful is a settlement located in the Creston Valley of southeastern British Columbia, Canada, near Cranbrook and Creston. The closest community is Lister, British Columbia....
group of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of the largest organizations in the United States whose members practice polygamy. The FLDS Church emerged in the early twentieth century when its founding members left...
(FLDS Church), a polygamist community in the Creston Valley
Creston Valley
The Creston Valley is a Canadian river delta wetland and Wildlife Management Area near Creston in south-central British Columbia, on the floodplain of the Kootenay River at the south end of Kootenay Lake. Predominantly marshland, it was classified as a wetland of international importance on...
. In September 2002, FLDS Church president Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs
Warren Steed Jeffs was the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . In 2011, Jeffs was convicted of two felony counts of child sexual assault....
excommunicated him. The community of Bountiful was split nearly in half—about 700 people continue to follow Blackmore, while about 500 follow Jeffs.
Blackmore was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
in January 2009 and charged with polygamy.
As of June 30, 2010, Blackmore has married 25 times and has a total of 121 children.
He is the nephew of former Social Credit Party of Canada
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
leader John Horne Blackmore
John Horne Blackmore
John Horne Blackmore , a school teacher and principal by training, was the first leader of what became the Social Credit Party of Canada, a political party in Canada that promoted the social credit theories of monetary reform....
who, though not a polygamist himself, was excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1947 for "teaching and advocating the doctrine of plural marriage". As an MP, the elder Blackmore urged Parliament to repeal the anti-polygamy law and succeeded in removing specific references to Mormons that had been in the law.