VANCOUVER — June 3, 2010 — The Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association (CPAA) today filed its evidence in the BC Supreme Court case concerning the constitutional validity of section 293 of the Criminal Code of Canada. The CPAA will assert that the law is unconstitutional under the Canadian Charter of Human Rights.

Section 293 affects polyamorous families by seeking to criminalize “any kind of conjugal union with more than one person at the same time”, punishable by up to five years in prison.

The CPAA’s evidence includes court statements from polyamorous families in five provinces. Each of these families includes three or more adults living together in committed intimate relationships.

Update June 10: links fixed.

The CPAA has filed its evidence with the court. The main thrust of our evidence was to describe examples of Canadian polyamourous families. We filed affidavits with detailed descriptions of five different healthy, functioning poly groups in five provinces. Each group was described by one of its members.

Almost a month ago, we posted the Attorney General’s summary of the polygamy statute’s legislative history, but we didn’t have the supporting documents. We can now give you the whole thing. The record seems silent about the problems most of Section 293′s modern proponents claim it’s needed to address.

Thanks to those who filled out the survey, especially witnesses! The results will help us protect the poly community. Remember, some witnesses still need to contact us.

The CPAA is creating policy statements, and we need to hear from the polyamorous community.

We know Canada’s polyamorists don’t want to be criminalized. We don’t know what else they believe. We need to create a “platform” for the CPAA: positions beyond the Section 293 litigation, as well as positions that my influence how we conduct that case.

The two Catholic organizations have dropped out of the case.

Winston Blackmore has been denied full party status and government funding.

Initial arguments and evidence (including ours) are due in mid-June. We have affidavits including summaries of most of the positions, including our own.