Is our criminal justice system too soft? This is the topic that former attorney general of B.C., Wally Oppal will address at the annual Clifford Smith Memorial Lecture on Saturday, Sept. 8, at Chatelech Secondary School in Sechelt at 2 p.m.
Eldercollege of Capilano University Sunshine Coast continuing education department is sponsoring this free event that is open to the whole community.
Smith was a former superintendant of schools for School District No. 46, was the former chair of Eldercollege and a passionate advocate of lifelong learning.
Oppal has dedicated his entire working life to the pursuit of social justice and community safety.
He was born in the Vancouver Fraserview area of Vancouver and grew up in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. After graduating from the University of British Columbia Law School he went into private practice. He was appointed as a special prosecutor on many high profile criminal cases. As well, he appeared as appellate counsel for both the Crown and the defence. He was also a special prosecutor on many commercial cases. As a lawyer, he volunteered his time in doing pro bono work both in court and in community legal clinics for persons who otherwise were unable to afford counsel.
As attorney general, he was involved in many significant reforms of the justice system including the establishment of Canada’s first community court to deal with chronic offenders, developing new Rules of Court in order to promote quicker resolution of disputes, developing new initiatives in dealing with violence against women and commencing the prosecution against members of the polygamous community of Bountiful. He was also responsible for immigration as Minister of Multiculturalism.
For more information on the event, contact Bill Climie at wclimie@telus.net or call 604-885-6745.
— Submitted
