The Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association (CPAA) was pleased to welcome supporters from across Canada to its Annual General meeting held on March 25, 2012. We celebrated a successful end to litigation and  some amazing accomplishments.  We noted the retirement of three very hard working members of our leadership team with much appreciation. We are sad to lose them as directors — but are assured of their continued support as members. 
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George Macintosh, the court-appointed lawyer arguing against Canada’s “polygamy law”, won’t appeal Chief Justice Bauman’s November 23 finding. The CPAA expected an appeal and is surprised.

We don’t have legal standing to bring our own appeal. Unless the Attorneys General decide to take this to a higher court, we don’t see any way to attack Section 293 directly in the near future.

The good news: without litigation setting an agenda for us, we can set our own, taking a fresh look at what Canada’s poly majority needs. We’re free to think about the long term, and we’d like your help.

If we really are done in court for now, in the coming weeks and months we’ll look at where the CPAA should go next: what our principles should be, where our priorities should lie, what services we should provide, what strategies we should use, who our allies should be, how we’ll be funded, and how we should organize ourselves. We can reinvent the CPAA completely, if that’s what needs to be done.
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Open letter to the Canadian Polyamory Community from John Ince Hello everyone: It has been two weeks since the Polygamy Reference court decision was released by Chief Justice Baumann of the BC Supreme Court. I have thought a great deal about the case since then, and communicated with lawyers and people in our legal team about how that decision affects the members of the Canadian polyamory community. Thoughts only –
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The decision is in. Although the law was upheld, the judge’s interpretation means that most of the poly majority isn’t criminalized. However, those who have formalized their commitments aren’t out of the woods.

There’s more in our press release and in the judge’s reasons.

Our thanks go out to all the community members who’ve supported us. The CPAA is in this for the long haul. We will continue our work, on appeal, in Parliament, or wherever it takes, until all loving, healthy polyamorous relationships are fully accepted in Canada. And we’ll still need your help.

We are, of course, still and always available for interviews at +1 778 786 8010.

On Wednesday of this week coming (November 23rd), Chief Justice Robert Bauman will release his decision with regards to the BC Supreme Court reference case on section 293 of the Criminal Code of Canada (known as the Polygamy Law).  Both the legal counsel involved in the case and the media will be in a lock down room and allowed to view the decision and reasons on that morning slightly before
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The Court has announced that the judgement will be released at 10:00 (AM, Vancouver time), on November 23, 2011. The reasons for decision will posted here at that time: http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/recent_Judgments.aspx There will be about an hour and half of supervised early access for the parties’ counsel and the media, but any counsel or media people who participate will not be allowed to communicate with the “outside world” until release time.
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Join Friends of CPAA Advocacy Team – on Facebook and/or  google group: Friends of CPAA Advocacy Team Visit this group We are actively recruiting people who would like to participate in a coordinated advocacy team. There are tasks for all levels of “out”-ness and comfort: – Media watch (spot articles to which we ought to be responsive) – Write letters to the editor, and /or letters to politicians and bureaucrats.
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CPAA has T-Shirts up for sale at http://www.zazzle.ca/polyadvocacy A portion of the purchase price goes to further our our work. Zazzle produces and ships the shirts. Suggestions for slogans and designs encouraged. Check back periodically for new items. Wear one to Pride celebrations both in the parades and on the sidelines. Wear one to poly group events. Keep a supply to give to newbies to your group as a welcome.
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(By guest blogger – Shanesmom) Polyamory is a growing social phenomenon that is becoming more visible and whose members seek to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that would criminalize their families. This was a main theme of the April 11 Panel Discussion hosted by the Vancouver Polyamory Group (Vanpoly) at The Junction House Pub in Vancouver that drew about 150 supporters. The panel coincided with the closing arguments of the
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The CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) has obtained the right (a first in BC) to video tape court proceedings of the closing arguments and is webcasting live only (video and sound) here: Starts March 28, at 10 am Pacific Standard Time Here
Wait for the commercial and the video is there when court is in session.
Schedule of presentation of closing arguments are here: