Attorney General of British Columbia

Last updated

Attorney General of British Columbia
Niki Sharma.png
Incumbent
Niki Sharma
since December 7, 2022
Member of
Nominator Premier of British Columbia
Appointer Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
Formation1859
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.

Contents

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.

List of attorneys general of the Colony of British Columbia

List of attorneys general of the province of British Columbia

List of ministers
MinisterTerm startTerm endPolitical partyMinistry
Edward Graham AlstonAugust 17, 1871August 22, 1871  Non-partisan Interim
John Foster McCreight August 22, 1871November 13, 1871  Non-partisan
November 14, 1871December 23, 1872 McCreight
George Anthony Walkem December 23, 1872February 9, 1874  Non-partisan De Cosmos
February 11, 1874January 27, 1876 Walkem I
Andrew Charles Elliott February 1, 1876June 25, 1878  Non-partisan Elliott
George Anthony Walkem June 25, 1878June 6, 1882  Non-partisan Walkem II
John Roland Hett June 13, 1882January 29, 1883  Non-partisan Beaven
Alexander Edmund Batson Davie January 29, 1883March 28, 1887  Non-partisan Smithe
April 1, 1887August 1, 1889  Non-partisan A. E. B. Davie
Theodore Davie August 3, 1889June 29, 1892  Non-partisan Robson
July 2, 1892March 2, 1895 T. Davie
David McEwen Eberts March 4, 1895August 8, 1898  Non-partisan Turner
Joseph Martin August 15, 1898July 27, 1899  Non-partisan Semlin
Alexander Henderson August 7, 1899February 27, 1900  Non-partisan
Joseph Martin February 28, 1900June 14, 1900  Non-partisan Martin
David McEwen Eberts June 15, 1900November 21, 1900  Non-partisan Dunsmuir
November 25, 1902May 27, 1903  Non-partisan Prior
Albert Edward McPhillips June 4, 1903November 5, 1903  Conservative McBride
Charles Wilson November 5, 1903March 15, 1906  Conservative
Frederick John Fulton March 15, 1906July 24, 1907  Conservative
William John Bowser July 24, 1907December 15, 1915  Conservative
December 15, 1915November 23, 1916 Bowser
Malcolm Archibald Macdonald November 29, 1916May 14, 1917  Liberal Brewster
John Wallace de Beque Farris May 14, 1917March 1, 1918  Liberal
March 6, 1918January 28, 1922 Oliver
Alexander Malcolm Manson January 28, 1922August 17, 1927  Liberal
August 20, 1927August 20, 1928 MacLean
Robert Henry Pooley August 21, 1928November 15, 1933  Conservative Tolmie
Gordon McGregor Sloan November 15, 1933April 5, 1937  Liberal Pattullo
Duff Pattullo April 5, 1937July 5, 1937  Liberal
Gordon Sylvester Wismer July 5, 1937November 14, 1941  Liberal
Norman William Whittaker November 14, 1941November 19, 1941  Liberal
Duff Pattullo November 24, 1941December 9, 1941  Liberal
Royal Maitland December 10, 1941March 28, 1946  Conservative Hart
Gordon Sylvester Wismer March 28, 1946December 29, 1947  Liberal
December 29, 1947August 1, 1952 Johnson
Robert Bonner August 1, 1952May 27, 1968  Social Credit W. A. C. Bennett
Leslie Peterson May 27, 1968September 15, 1972  Social Credit
Alexander Macdonald September 15, 1972December 22, 1975  New Democratic Barrett
Garde Gardom December 22, 1975November 23, 1979  Social Credit B. Bennett
Allan Williams November 23, 1979May 26, 1983  Social Credit
Brian Smith May 26, 1983August 6, 1986  Social Credit
August 6, 1986June 29, 1988 Vander Zalm
Elwood Veitch June 29, 1988August 6, 1988  Social Credit
Bud Smith August 6, 1988July 13, 1990  Social Credit
Russell Fraser July 13, 1990April 2, 1991  Social Credit
April 2, 1991November 5, 1991 Johnston
Colin Gabelmann November 5, 1991August 16, 1995  New Democratic Harcourt
Ujjal Dosanjh August 16, 1995February 22, 1996  New Democratic
February 28, 1996August 25, 1999 G. Clark
August 25, 1999February 24, 2000 Miller
Andrew Petter February 29, 2000November 1, 2000  New Democratic Dosanjh
Graeme Bowbrick November 1, 2000June 5, 2001  New Democratic
Geoff Plant June 5, 2001June 16, 2005  Liberal Campbell
Wally Oppal June 16, 2005June 10, 2009  Liberal
Mike de Jong June 10, 2009December 1, 2010  Liberal
Barry Penner December 1, 2010March 14, 2011  Liberal
March 14, 2011August 18, 2011 C. Clark
Shirley Bond August 18, 2011June 10, 2013  Liberal
Suzanne Anton June 10, 2013June 12, 2017  Liberal
Andrew Wilkinson June 12, 2017July 18, 2017  Liberal
David Eby July 18, 2017July 19, 2022  New Democratic Horgan
Murray Rankin July 22, 2022November 18, 2022  New Democratic
Niki Sharma December 7, 2022Incumbent  New Democratic Eby

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References

  1. Ministry of Attorney General (2023-02-28). "Attorney General - Province of British Columbia". www2.gov.bc.ca. Victoria: Government of British Columbia. Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  2. King's Counsel Act , RSBC 1996, c. 393, s. 1