Attorney General of British Columbia | |
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Member of | |
Nominator | Premier of British Columbia |
Appointer | Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia |
Formation | 1859 |
First holder | George Hunter Cary |
The attorney general of British Columbia (AG) oversees the Ministry of Attorney General, a provincial government department responsible for the oversight of the justice system, within the province of British Columbia, Canada. The attorney general is a member of the provincial cabinet, typically a member of Legislative Assembly who is chosen by the premier of British Columbia and formally appointed by the lieutenant governor of British Columbia.
The attorney general is responsible for ensuring that public administration is conducted according to the law and as such, they are the chief advisor of law to the government, in addition to overseeing the court system and Sheriff Service. [1] Under the King's Counsel Act, the attorney general is automatically appointed a King's Counsel upon swearing into office. [2] The attorney general also serves as an ex officio bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia. A separate cabinet position, the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, administers the province's law enforcement agencies (police, prisons and security).
Since December 7, 2022, the post has been held by Niki Sharma.
In the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms, a King's Counsel is a lawyer appointed by the state as a senior advocate or barrister with a high degree of skill and experience in the law. When the reigning monarch is a woman, the title is Queen's Counsel (QC).
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