Attorney General of British Columbia
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia is a provincial government department responsible for the oversight of the justice system within the province of British Columbia
, Canada. It is headed by a member of the provincial cabinet
, typically a Member of Legislative Assembly
who is chosen by the premier and formally appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.
The Attorney General (AG) is responsible for ensuring that public administration is conducted according to the law and as such, he is the chief advisor of law to the government, in addition to overseeing the court system and Sheriff Services
. Under the Queen's Counsel Act, the Attorney General is automatically appointed a Queen's Counsel
upon swearing into office.
He or she also serves as an ex officio Bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia.
The post is currently held by Shirley Bond
on an interim basis since August 15, 2011.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada. It is headed by a member of the provincial cabinet
Executive Council of British Columbia
The Executive Council of British Columbia is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
, typically a Member of Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
who is chosen by the premier and formally appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.
The Attorney General (AG) is responsible for ensuring that public administration is conducted according to the law and as such, he is the chief advisor of law to the government, in addition to overseeing the court system and Sheriff Services
British Columbia Sheriff Services
-History:British Columbia Sheriff Service traces its roots to the first Sheriff appointed by Governor James Douglas in 1857 for the Colony of Vancouver Island in what is now British Columbia, Canada...
. Under the Queen's Counsel Act, the Attorney General is automatically appointed a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
upon swearing into office.
He or she also serves as an ex officio Bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia.
The post is currently held by Shirley Bond
Shirley Bond
Shirley Bond is currently serving as the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and interim Attorney General of British Columbia, previously as Minister of Transportation and Minister of Education and Minister responsible for Early Learning and Literacy in the Executive Council of British...
on an interim basis since August 15, 2011.
List of Attorneys General of the Colony of British Columbia
- George Hunter Cary 1859–1861
- Henry Pering Pellew CreaseHenry Pering Pellew CreaseSir Henry Pering Pellew Crease was a British lawyer, judge, and politician, influential in the colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia...
1861–1870 - George Phillippo 1870–1871
List of Attorneys General of the Province of British Columbia
- John Foster McCreightJohn Foster McCreightJohn Foster McCreight QC was a jurist and the first Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Early life:...
1871–1872 - George Anthony WalkemGeorge Anthony WalkemGeorge Anthony "Boomer" Walkem was a British Columbian politician and jurist.Born in Newry, Ireland, Walkem moved to then Colony of British Columbia in 1862 and served as a member of the appointed Legislative Council of British Columbia from 1864 to 1870 and was a supporter of Canadian confederation...
1871–1874 - A.E.B. DavieAlexander Edmund Batson DavieAlexander Edmund Batson Davie, QC who is usually referred to as A. E. B. Davie, was a British Columbia politician and lawyer, and was premier of British Columbia from 1887 until his death.Called to the bar in 1873 he was the first person to receive his entire law education in British...
1882–(1887?) - John Roland Hett
- Theodore DavieTheodore DavieTheodore Davie was a British Columbia lawyer, politician and jurist. He practiced law in Cassiar and Nanaimo before settling in Victoria and becoming a leading criminal lawyer. He was the brother of Alexander Edmund Batson Davie. Theodore Davie was first elected to the provincial legislature in...
1889–1892 - Joseph MartinJoseph Martin (Canadian politician)Joseph Martin was a lawyer and politician in Manitoba, British Columbia and the United Kingdom often referred to as "Fighting Joe".-Early life:...
1898–1900 - Albert Edward McPhillipsAlbert Edward McPhillips-Early years:He was the son of George McPhillips and Margaret Lavin, both of whom were Irish and he was the youngest of six boys His father and three brothers were land surveyor's. His brother, George McPhillips Jr...
(1900?)-1903 - Frederick John FultonFrederick John FultonFrederick John Fulton, KC was a British-born and educated Canadian lawyer and politician. He practiced law in Kamloops, British Columbia...
1906–1907 - William John BowserWilliam John BowserWilliam John Bowser was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. He served as Premier of British Columbia from 1915 to 1916....
1907–1915 - Malcolm Archibald MacdonaldMalcolm Archibald MacdonaldMalcolm Archibald Macdonald was a Canadian lawyer, politician and Chief Justice of British Columbia....
1915-1917 - John Wallace de Beque FarrisJohn Wallace de Beque FarrisJohn Wallace de Beque Farris was a Canadian lawyer and politician.Born in White's Cove, New Brunswick, the son of Laughlin P. Farris and Louise Hay, he was educated at St. Martin's Seminary, received his Bachelor of Arts from Acadia University and received his Bachelor of Law from the University...
1917–1922 - Alexander Malcolm MansonAlexander Malcolm MansonAlexander Malcolm Manson was a British Columbia judge and politician in the Liberal Party. Positions he held included Speaker, Minister of Labour and Attorney General. He was later appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia....
1922–1928 - Gordon Sloan 1933–1937
- Gordon Wismer 1937–1941
- Royal Lethington Maitland 1941–1946
- Gordon Wismer 1946–1952
- Robert BonnerRobert Bonner (politician)The Hon. Robert Bonner, LL.B. was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and corporate executive. He pursued his career working in the British Columbia government and in B.C.-based companies....
1952–1968 - Leslie PetersonLeslie PetersonLeslie Raymond Peterson, CM, OBC is a lawyer, politician, and university chancellor in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. After returning from serving in World War II from 1942-46, he obtained his law degree from the University of British Columbia in 1949...
1968–1972 - Alex MacDonaldAlexander Macdonald (British Columbia politician)Alexander Barrett Macdonald was a politician who served for several years in the legislative assembly of British Columbia and briefly in the Canadian House of Commons...
1972–1975 - Garde GardomGarde GardomGarde Basil Gardom, QC, OBC is a Canadian politician, lawyer, and the 26th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.Born in Banff, Alberta, he obtained his BA and LLB degrees from the University of British Columbia. During his undergraduate years, he was an active member of the BC Alpha Chapter of...
1975–1979 - Allan WilliamsAllan Williams (Canadian politician)Louis Allan Williams was the Attorney-General of British Columbia from 1979 to 1983. He also held the posts of labour minister and minister responsible for native affairs. Williams died on February 28, 2011 following a long illness.-References:...
1979–1983 - Brian SmithBrian Smith (politician)Brian Ray Douglas Smith is a Canadian politician and business executive. After serving for a decade on Oak Bay municipal council, Smith was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 1979 election to represent the riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head for the Social Credit Party...
1983–1989 - Bud Smith 1989–1990
- Russ Fraser 1990–1991
- Colin Gabelmann 1991–1995
- Ujjal DosanjhUjjal DosanjhUjjal Dev Singh Dosanjh, PC, QC, is a Sikh Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as 33rd Premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001 and as a Liberal Party of Canada Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011 including a stint as Minister of Health from 2004 until 2006 when the party lost...
1995–2000 - Andrew PetterAndrew PetterAndrew J. Petter is currently President of Simon Fraser University. He was formerly the dean of the University of Victoria's law school. He served briefly as Attorney General of British Columbia under the New Democratic Party government of Ujjal Dosanjh...
2000 - Graeme BowbrickGraeme BowbrickGraeme Bowbrick Q.C. is a Canadian lawyer and former politician, who served as a New Democratic Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1996 to 2001, representing the riding of New Westminster. He served as Minister of Advanced Education in 2000, and Attorney General in...
2000–2001 - Geoff PlantGeoff PlantGeoff Plant, QC is a British Columbia lawyer and retired politician known for his interest in citizen's legal and electoral rights and aboriginal rights....
2001–2005 - Wally OppalWally OppalWallace Oppal, Q.C. is a Canadian lawyer, former judge and provincial politician, who is currently serving as the Chancellor of the Thompson Rivers University...
2005–2009 - Mike de JongMike de JongMike de Jong, Q.C. is a politician from British Columbia, Canada.-Politics and career:He was appointed Minister of Health Mike de Jong on March 14, 2011. He has previously held the post of Attorney General and Government House Leader, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and Minister of...
2009–2010 - Barry PennerBarry PennerBarry Penner, QC is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Chilliwack-Hope. He previously served as Attorney General of British Columbia, Deputy House Leader , and Minister of Environment and Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.Born in Kitimat in 1966,...
2010–2011 - Shirley BondShirley BondShirley Bond is currently serving as the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and interim Attorney General of British Columbia, previously as Minister of Transportation and Minister of Education and Minister responsible for Early Learning and Literacy in the Executive Council of British...
2011–Present