Office of the Attorney General (New Brunswick)

Last updated
Office of the Attorney General
New Brunswick Canada Logo.svg
Agency overview
Formed2012
JurisdictionNew Brunswick
Agency executive
Parent department Government of New Brunswick

The Office of the Attorney General (French : Cabinet du procureur général) is a part of the government of New Brunswick. It is charged providing legal services to all departments and agencies of the government.

Contents

The post of attorney general is the most senior legal official in New Brunswick and has existed since the creation of New Brunswick as a crown colony in 1784 and for much of contemporary history the attorney general oversaw the Department of Justice carrying the dual title of Minister of Justice, as is currently the case. Loyalist Jonathan Bliss served as the first attorney general, beginning in the late eighteenth century.

From 2006 to 2012, the Office of the Attorney General was separated from the Department of Justice. On February 14, 2006 when Premier Bernard Lord restructured the cabinet, largely out of necessity, the basic functions of attorney general were separated from the Justice Department so as to allow Brad Green, the only lawyer in his caucus, to take on a larger portfolio. The Department of Justice and Consumer Affairs was established taking over responsibility for "protection of the public interest" from the Attorney General. On October 3, 2006, Bernard Lord left office and was replaced as Premier by Shawn Graham. Graham named T.J. Burke to be both Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Consumer Affairs, however in legislation to realign government departments passed on March 2, 2007 the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice and Consumer Affairs remained separate entities. A subsequent bill was introduced on December 19, 2007 specifying the role of the Office of the Attorney General as a separate department. [1]

However, the subsequent premier, David Alward, remerged the two departments into the Department of Justice and Attorney General in 2012. [2] Alward again separated these roles in 2013, when Ted Flemming was named attorney general, with Troy Lifford becoming minister of justice.

Attorneys general

MinisterTerm
Ward Chipman
(acting)		November, 1784 – May 15, 1785
Jonathan Bliss February 2, 1785 (appointed) – June 28, 1809
(assumed office May 16)
Thomas Wetmore July 26, 1809 – March 22, 1828
Robert Parker
(acting)		March 1828 – September 7, 1828
Charles Jeffery Peters September 7, 1828 – February 3, 1848
Lemuel Allan Wilmot July 23, 1848 – January 8, 1851
J. A. Street January 10, 1851 – November 1, 1854
Charles Fisher November 1, 1854 – May 1856
John Hamilton Gray June 21, 1856 – June 1857
Charles Fisher
(2nd time)		June 1, 1857 – May 27, 1861?
A. J. Smith April 27, 1861 – October 10, 1862
J. M. Johnson 1862–1865
J. C. Allen April 1865 – September 21, 1865
A. J. Smith
(2nd time)		September 21, 1865 – April 14, 1866
Charles Fisher
(3rd time)		April 14, 1866 – September 1867
A.R. Wetmore September 25, 1867 – May 25, 1870
George E. King May 25, 1870 – May 3, 1878
J. J. Fraser June 1878 – May 23, 1882
E. McLeod May 23, 1882 – February 26, 1883
A.G. Blair March 3, 1883 – July 17, 1896
James Mitchell July 17, 1896 – October 29, 1897
A. S. White November 3, 1897 – 1899
H. R. Emmerson February 1900 – August 31, 1900
William Pugsley September 1, 1900 – May 31, 1907
C. W. Robinson May 31, 1907 – October 28, 1907
H. A. McKeown October 28, 1907 – March 24, 1908
J. D. Hazen March 24, 1908 – October 10, 1911
W.C.H. Grimmer October 16, 1911 – January 22, 1914?
George J. Clarke January 22, 1914 – December 17, 1914
J. B. M. Baxter December 17, 1914 – April 4, 1917?
J. P. Byrne April 4, 1917 – October 4, 1924?
I. C. Rand October 4, 1924 – September 10, 1925
J.B.M. Baxter
(2nd time)		September 10, 1925 – May 18, 1931
C. D. Richards May 18, 1931 – 1933
W. H. Harrison 1933 – July 16, 1935
John B. McNair July 16, 1935 – March 13, 1940
John B. McNair (cont'd)March 13, 1940 – October 8, 1952
William J. West October 8, 1952 – October 17, 1958
R. G. L. Fairweather October 17, 1958 – July 12, 1960
Louis Robichaud July 12, 1960 – May 13, 1965
Wendell W. Meldrum May 13, 1965 – April 5, 1966
Bernard A. Jean April 6, 1966 – November 12, 1970
John B. M. Baxter, Jr. November 12, 1970 – December 3, 1974
Paul Creaghan December 3, 1974 – March 16, 1977
Rodman Logan March 22, 1977 – October 30, 1982
Fernand G. Dubé October 30, 1982 – October 3, 1985
David Clark October 3, 1985 – October 27, 1987
James E. Lockyer October 27, 1987 – October 9, 1991
Edmond Blanchard October 9, 1991 – September 26, 1995
Paul Duffie September 26, 1995 – March 20, 1997
Bernard Richard
(acting)		March 20, 1997 – July 23, 1997
James E. Lockyer
(2nd time)		July 23, 1997 – May 14, 1998
Greg Byrne May 14, 1998 – June 21, 1999
Brad Green June 27, 1999 [3] – October 3, 2006
Thomas J. Burke October 3, 2006 – June 22, 2009
Michael Murphy June 22, 2009 – January 4, 2010
Kelly Lamrock January 4, 2010 – September 26, 2010
Marie-Claude Blais October 12, 2010 – September 23, 2013
Hugh (Ted) Flemming September 23, 2013 – October 7, 2014
Serge Rousselle October 7, 2014 – May 11, 2018
Brian Gallant May 11, 2018 – November 9, 2018
Andrea Anderson-Mason November 9, 2018 – September 29, 2020
Hugh (Ted) Flemming
(2nd time)		September 29, 2020–present

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References

  1. ↑ "Bill 30 - An Act Respecting the Office of the Attorney General". www.gnb.ca. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  2. ↑ Canada, Government of New Brunswick (March 2012). "Premier announces structural changes". www2.gnb.ca. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  3. ↑ From June 27, 1999, to February 14, 2006, Green was also Minister of Justice, after which he became Minister of Health.
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