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 British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada. The attorney general is a member of the

provincial cabinet Provincial may refer to: Government & Administration * Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country * Provincial city (disambiguation) * Provincial minister (disambiguation) * Provincial Secretary, a position in Can ...

, typically a

member of Legislative Assembly A member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to a legislative assembly. Most often, the term refers to a subnational assembly such as that of a state, province, or territory of a country. S ...

who is chosen by the

premier of British Columbia Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

and formally appointed by the

lieutenant governor of British Columbia The lieutenant governor of British Columbia () is the viceregal representative of the , in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The office of lieutenant governor is an office of the Crown and serves as a representative of the monarchy in ...

. 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. Under the ''King's Counsel Act'', the attorney general is automatically appointed a

King's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel ( post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister or ...

upon swearing into office. The attorney general also serves as an ''

ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...

'' bencher of the

Law Society of British Columbia The Law Society of British Columbia is the regulatory body for lawyers in British Columbia, Canada. Purpose The society's primary mandate under the ''Legal Profession Act'' is to uphold and protect the public interest in the administration of ...

. Since December 7, 2022, the post has been held by

Niki Sharma Niki Sharma is a Canadian politician and lawyer, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2020 British Columbia general election. She represents the electoral district of Vancouver-Hastings as a member of the Bri ...

List of attorneys general of the Colony of British Columbia

George Hunter Cary George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd President ...

; 1859–1861 *

Henry Pering Pellew Crease Sir Henry Pering Pellew Crease (20 August 1823 – 27 November 1905) was a British-Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician, influential in the colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. He was the first Attorney General of the united Co ...

; 1861–1870 *

George Phillippo Sir George Phillippo (1833 – 16 February 1914) was Chief Justice of Hong Kong in the late 19th century. He often attended the Legislative Council of Hong Kong sittings from around 1884 to 1888. Early life and education Phillippo was ...

; 1870–1871

List of attorneys general of the province of British Columbia

John Foster McCreight John Foster McCreight, (1827 – November 18, 1913) was a jurist and the first premier of British Columbia. Early life McCreight was born in Caledon, County Tyrone, Ireland, to a well-established and well-connected family. After completing la ...

; 1871–1872 *

George Anthony Walkem George Anthony "Boomer" Walkem (November 15, 1834 – January 13, 1908) was a British Columbian politician and jurist. Life and career Born in Newry, Ireland, Walkem moved to then Colony of British Columbia in 1862 and served as a member of ...

; 1871–1874 * A. E. B. Davie; 1882–(1887?) * John Roland Hett; *

Theodore Davie Theodore Davie (March 22, 1852 in Brixton, London – March 7, 1898 in Victoria, British Columbia) was a British Columbia lawyer, politician, and jurist. He practised law in Cassiar and Nanaimo before settling in Victoria and becoming a leading ...

; 1889–1892 * Joseph Martin; 1898–1900 *

Albert Edward McPhillips Albert Edward McPhillips (21 March 1861 – 24 January 1938) was a Canadian politician and a barrister. Early years He was the son of George McPhillips (born Co. Monaghan, 1805–1878) and Margaret Lavin (born Co. Armagh), both of whom were ...

; (1900?)–1903 * Charles Wilson; 1903–1906 *

Frederick John Fulton Frederick John Fulton, KC (December 8, 1862 – July 25, 1936) was a British-born and educated Canadian lawyer and politician. He practiced law in Kamloops, British Columbia. He was a member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly fro ...

; 1906–1907 *

William John Bowser William John Bowser (Rexton, New Brunswick December 3, 1867 – October 25, 1933 Vancouver) was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. He served as the 17th premier of British Columbia from 1915 to 1916. The son of William Bowser and Marga ...

; 1907–1915 *

Malcolm Archibald Macdonald Malcolm Archibald Macdonald (June 20, 1875 – October 13, 1941) was a Canadian lawyer, politician and Chief Justice of British Columbia. Biography Malcolm Archibald Macdonald was born in Ashfield Township on June 20, 1875. He graduated from ...

; 1915–1917 *

John Wallace de Beque Farris John Wallace de Beque Farris, (December 3, 1878 – February 25, 1970) 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, rece ...

; 1917–1922 *

Alexander Malcolm Manson Alexander Malcolm Manson (October 7, 1883 – September 25, 1964) 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 Supr ...

; 1922–1928 *

Gordon Sloan Gordon Wright Sloan (April 9, 1911 – August 23, 2006) was an American attorney and judge. He was the 70th justice of the Oregon Supreme Court in the United States. He previously served on the International Tuna Commission, and later the Kan ...

; 1933–1937 *

Gordon Wismer Gordon Sylvester Wismer (1888 – December 28, 1968) was a lawyer and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Vancouver Centre in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1933 to 1941 and from 1945 to 1952 as a Liberal. ...

; 1937–1941 *

Royal Lethington Maitland Royal Lethington (Pat) Maitland (January 9, 1889 – March 28, 1946) was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as Deputy Premier and the Attorney General of British Columbia in the coalition government of Premier John Hart. He als ...

; 1941–1946 *

; 1946–1952 *

Robert Bonner Robert Bonner may refer to: * Robert C. Bonner (born 1942), American lawyer and government official * Robert E. Bonner (1824–1899), American newspaper editor * Robert Bonner (baseball) (1894–?), American baseball player *Robert Bonner (politici ...

; 1952–1968 *

Leslie Peterson Leslie Raymond Peterson, CM, OBC (6 October 1923 – 14 April 2015) was a lawyer, politician, and university chancellor in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was born in Viking, Alberta, the son of Herman S. Peterson, a native of N ...

; 1968–1972 * Alex MacDonald; 1972–1975 *

Garde Gardom Garde Basil Gardom, (July 17, 1924 – June 18, 2013) was a Canadian politician, lawyer, and the 26th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Early life Gardom was born in Banff, Alberta on July 17, 1924. He grew up in the Fraser Valley of Br ...

; 1975–1979 *

Allan Williams Allan Richard Williams (21 February 1930 – 30 December 2016) was a British businessman and promoter who was the original booking agent and first manager of the Beatles. He personally drove the van to take the young band to Hamburg, Germany, in ...

; 1979–1983 * Brian Smith; 1983–1988 *

Bud Smith Robert Allan "Bud" Smith (born October 23, 1979) is an American retired baseball pitcher. Smith was active at the major league level in 2001 and 2002, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. Minor leagues In 2000, Smith led the minor league Cardin ...

; 1988–1990 *

Russell Fraser Russell Gordon Fraser (born March 1, 1934) was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1983 to 1991, as a Social Credit member for the constituency of Vancouver South. He served as Attorney General ...

; 1990–1991 * Colin Gabelmann; 1991–1995 *

Ujjal Dosanjh Ujjal Dev Dosanjh ( pa, ਉੱਜਲ ਦੇਵ ਦੁਸਾਂਝ) (), (born September 9, 1947) is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the 33rd premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001 and as a Liberal Party of Canada member of ...

; 1995–2000 *

Andrew Petter Andrew J. Petter (born 1953) is the chair of Innovate BC, a provincial Crown agency responsible for supporting innovation and growth in the technology sector in British Columbia. Andrew Petter served as President and Vice-Chancellor of Simon ...

; 2000 * Graeme Bowbrick; 2000–2001 *

Geoff Plant Geoff Plant, (born c. 1956) is a British Columbia lawyer and retired politician known for his interest in citizen's legal and electoral rights and aboriginal rights. As of 2010, he is chair of the board for Providence Health Care which opera ...

; 2001–2005 *

Wally Oppal Wallace Taroo "Wally" Oppal, (born 1940) is a Canadian lawyer, former judge and provincial politician. Between 2005 and 2009, he served as British Columbia's Attorney General and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism, as well as Member of ...

; 2005–2009 *

Mike de Jong Mike de Jong, (born 1963 or 1964) is a provincial politician and was cabinet minister of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Early life De Jong was born to Dutch parents who immigrated to Canada after Canadian soldiers liberated th ...

; 2009–2010 *

Barry Penner Barry Penner, is a Canadian licensed lawyer and former politician in the province of British Columbia. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (MLA) for Chilliwack-Hope for 16 years. He also served as Attorney Gener ...

; 2010–2011 *

Shirley Bond Shirley Bond (born 1956 or 1957)P.G. Mount Robson's Liberal candidates: Party members choose their candidate Friday and Saturday: inal EditionHoekstra, Gordon. Prince George Citizen rince George, B.C27 Sep 2000: 5. is a Canadian politician who ...

; 2011–2013 *

Suzanne Anton Suzanne Anton, (born May 31, 1952) is a Canadian politician and the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of British Columbia. Elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2013 provincial election, Anton represent ...

; 2013–2017 *

Andrew Wilkinson Andrew Wilkinson is an Australian-born Canadian politician. He is the former leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party, and served as the leader of British Columbia's Official Opposition. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British ...

; 2017 *

David Eby David Robert Patrick Eby (born July 21, 1976) is a Canadian politician and lawyer who has been serving as the 37th and current premier of British Columbia since November 18, 2022, and has been serving as the leader of the British Columbia New De ...

; 2017–2022 *

Murray Rankin Murray Rankin (born January 26, 1950) is a Canadian lawyer, politician and public law expert who serves as British Columbia's Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. A member of the New Democratic Party, Rankin represents the rid ...

; 2022 *

; since 2022

References

External links

Ministry of Attorney GeneralMinistry of Attorney General Service Plan
British Columbia government departments and agencies *

1859 establishments in the British Empire

{{BritishColumbia-poli-stub

List of attorneys general of the Colony of British Columbia

List of attorneys general of the province of British Columbia

See also

References

External links