Mormon Church Sues Canadian Sect Leader Over Name Misappropriation

The Vancouver Sun and Reuters reported last week that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the mainline Mormon Church) has filed suit against Winston Blackmore, leader of a polygamous Mormon sect headquartered in Bountiful, British Columbia for misappropriation of the trademarked name, identity and reputation of the mainline Church.  Blackmore, who headed the Canadian branch of the FLDS until he was excommunicated by leader Warren Jeffs, founded his own sect with followers comprised mostly of his extended family in British Columbia, Idaho, Utah and Arizona, and initially incorporated it as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. However he changed it in 2010 to eliminate the word "Fundamentalist."  The mainline church discovered this in January when, after changing the form of its Canadian branch from an Alberta trust to a corporation, it tried to register its name in British Columbia and had its application rejected.  Its filings in the B.C. Supreme Court indicate that the confusion has led to diversion of contributions intended for the mainline Church.