Muslim Polygamy Welfare

Monday, February 11th, 2008 2:10 pm by Neal

Andy McCarthy alerts us to a story from Canadian News:

Hundreds of GTA (“greater Toronto area”) Muslim men in polygamous marriages — some with a harem of wives — are receiving welfare and social benefits for each of their spouses, thanks to the city and province, Muslim leaders say.

Mumtaz Ali, president of the Canadian Society of Muslims, said wives in polygamous marriages are recognized as spouses under the Ontario Family Law Act, providing they were legally married under Muslim laws abroad. … He estimates “several hundred” GTA husbands in polygamous marriages are receiving benefits. Under Islamic law, a Muslim man is permitted to have up to four spouses. … The average recipient with a child can receive about $1,500 monthly, city officials said.

In addressing the issue of polygamous marriages, the preamble to the Ontario Family Law Act states: “In the definition of ‘spouse,’ a reference to marriage includes a marriage that is actually or potentially polygamous, if it was celebrated in a jurisdiction whose system of law recognizes it as valid….”

“There are many people in the community who are taking advantage of this,” Ali said. “This is a law and there’s nothing wrong with it.” Immigration officials said yesterday that polygamous marriages aren’t allowed in Canada, but that contradicts the provincial law.

“Canada is a very liberal-minded country,” Ali said. “Canada is way ahead of Britain in this respect.” He said Britain recently began permitting husbands to collect benefits for each of their wives.

The British government recently admitted that nearly a thousand men are living legally with multiple wives in Britain. Although the families are entitled to claim social security for each wife, the department for work and pensions said it has not counted how many are on benefits.

Mumtaz Ali, president of the Canadian Society of Muslims, said “Polygamy is a regular part of life for many Muslims.” Well isn’t that so very special. Hey Mumtaz, honor killings are a regular part of life for many Muslims also, Canadian Muslims included. At the rate sharia is taking over Canada and England, expect honor killings to be legal for Muslim immigrants any day now. After all, as Mumtaz Ali said, “Canada is a very liberal-minded country. Canada is way ahead of Britain in this respect.”

Well, not too far ahead.

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