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Geoff Plant

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Geoff Plant
OBC KC
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Richmond-Steveston
In office
May 28, 1996 – May 17, 2005
Preceded byAllan Warnke
Succeeded byJohn Yap
Attorney General of British Columbia
In office
June 5, 2001 – June 16, 2005
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byGraeme Bowbrick
Succeeded byWally Oppal
Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations of British Columbia
In office
June 5, 2001 – June 16, 2005
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byTom Christensen (Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation)
Personal details
Born (1955-05-22) May 22, 1955 (age 69)
Hamilton, Ontario[1]
Political partyLiberal
Residence(s)Vancouver, British Columbia[2]
Alma materHarvard University
University of Southampton
Dalhousie University
University of Cambridge
Professionlawyer

Geoff Plant, OBC KC (born May 22, 1955) is a Canadian lawyer and retired politician known for his interest in citizen's legal and electoral rights and aboriginal rights. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing Richmond-Steveston from 1996 to 2005. A caucus member of the British Columbia Liberal Party, he served in the cabinet of Premier Gordon Campbell as Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations from 2001 to 2005.

Background and career

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Born in Hamilton, Ontario and raised in Vancouver, Plant received a B.A. from Harvard University in 1978 and law degrees from the University of Southampton in England in 1980, Dalhousie University in Halifax in 1981, and from the University of Cambridge in 1989.[1][3] After serving as a clerk in the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa for a year,[4] he was called to the British Columbia bar in 1982 and began practising in litigation, focusing on public and aboriginal law.[3][5]

Plant was one of the eight members of the legal team representing the Attorney General of British Columbia in Delgamuukw v British Columbia, 1991 BCSC 2372.[6] This case was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court of Canada in Delgamuukw v British Columbia, [1997] 3 SCR 1010.[7]

MLA and Attorney General

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A resident of Richmond, British Columbia since 1984,[citation needed] Plant received the BC Liberal nomination to contest the riding of Richmond-Steveston in the 1996 provincial election, over the incumbent Allan Warnke.[8] Plant was elected the riding's MLA with 56 per cent of the vote, and served as the opposition critic for justice and intergovernmental relations, as well as Liberal caucus whip.[3] He shared an apartment in Victoria with Gordie Hogg and party leader Gordon Campbell during that time.[9]

Plant was re-elected with 69 per cent of the vote in the 2001 election, and was appointed to the cabinet that June to serve as the Attorney General of British Columbia and Minister responsible for Treaty Negotiations as part of Campbell's first-term government.[3][10] He oversaw the province-wide British Columbia Treaty Referendum in 2002 and the creation and oversight of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform. A policy change that affected whether domestic violence complaints would be automatically prosecuted did receive criticism from women's centres[11] and was noted by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.[12] Cuts to legal aid prompted the Law Society to censure him.[13] On the issue of polygamy in Bountiful, Plant cited constitutional concerns for religious rights but also formed an investigative team to research the situation.[14]

He was regarded as a moderate within Campbell's centre-right coalition who was keen on reforms for the legal, aboriginal treaty negotiation and electoral systems.[15]

In March 2005, Plant announced his decision not to run for a second term in government at that year's provincial election, citing a wish to spend more time with his wife who was experiencing breast cancer.[16] He encouraged his 2001 campaign chair John Yap to contest the Liberal nomination;[17] Yap went on to serve as MLA for Richmond-Steveston from 2005 to 2020.

Post-politics

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Upon his exit from provincial politics, he joined the law firm of Heenan Blaikie while maintaining government appointments as senior advisor in land and resource negotiations with the Council of the Haida Nation.[18] He also taught as a sessional instructor at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law.[19]

In 2006 Plant was appointed as a special advisor to the Premier and Minister of Advanced Education to lead a project called Campus 2020: Looking Ahead,[20] the first comprehensive review of post-secondary education in British Columbia in over 40 years.[5] He made 52 recommendations in his report released in April 2007, including repealing the designation of university college and establishing regional universities;[21] he received $115,000 as compensation.[22]

He was appointed by Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan in May 2007 to the newly created position of Civil City Commissioner, a part-time position controlling a budget of $300,000. The position would lead Project Civil City, the mayor's effort to enhance order in Vancouver's public areas by reducing homelessness, aggressive panhandling and the open drug market by at least 50 per cent by 2010.[23] There had been controversy regarding this position, with opposition city councillors Tim Stevenson and Raymond Louie expressing doubt as to its usefulness.[24] His appointment ended in February 2009.[5]

In 2008 he was appointed by Attorney General Wally Oppal to the British Columbia Law Institute to serve a three-year term.[18] He joined the Canada West Foundation's board of directors in 2009, before becoming the board's chair in 2014.[25] From 2010 to 2017, he served as chair of the board for Providence Health Care, the operator of St. Paul's Hospital.[5] He was named the BC government's chief legal strategist at the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines review hearings in September 2012.[5][26]

In May 2015 he became chancellor of Emily Carr University of Art and Design,[19] serving until 2021.[5] He also served on the BC Ferries board of directors for more than eight years, until being forced to resign in 2019 following the introduction of term limits.[27] As of 2024, he is a counsel with Gall Legge Grant Zwack LLP in Vancouver.[5]

Plant was made a Member of the Order of British Columbia in 2022.[2]

Personal life

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Plant was born with a cleft palate and has visible results of corrective surgery. The congenital disorder's effect on his speech was not a barrier to his succeeding in law and politics, two careers that require skillful verbal communication.

He and his wife have two children.[3]

Electoral record

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2001 British Columbia general election: Richmond-Steveston
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
Liberal Geoff Plant 14,508 69.23 $56,820
New Democratic Billie Mortimer 2,564 12.24 $2,734
Green Kevan Hudson 2,257 10.77 $1,063
Marijuana Gordon Mathias 561 2.68 $705
Unity Vincent Paul 381 1.82 $610
Independent Allan Warnke 358 1.71 $1,562
Conservative Barry Edward Chilton 160 0.76 $240
Reform Sue Wade 145 0.69 $610
People's Front Edith Petersen 21 0.10 $100
Total valid votes 20,955 100.00
Total rejected ballots 125 0.60
Turnout 21,080 73.27
Source: Elections BC[28]
1996 British Columbia general election: Richmond-Steveston
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
Liberal Geoff Plant 9,643 56.65 $39,769
New Democratic Gail Paquette 5,041 29.61 $32,144
Progressive Democrat Pat Young 919 5.40 $550
Reform Shirley Abraham-Kirk 556 3.27 $2,765
Independent Allan Warnke 450 2.64 $5,795
Green Brian Gold 188 1.10 $100
Conservative Gary L. Cross 99 0.58 $1,132
Social Credit Gordon Neuls 88 0.52 $4,315
Natural Law Nancy Stewart 38 0.23 $123
Total valid votes 17,022 100.00
Total rejected ballots 85 0.50
Turnout 17,107 74.36
Source: Elections BC[29]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Plant, Hon. Geoff, A.B., LL.B., LL.M. (Richmond Steveston) Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations". Canadian Parliamentary Guide. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "B.C.'s highest honour recognizes 14 British Columbians" (Press release). Government of British Columbia. August 1, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Executive Council Biographies". Office of the Premier of British Columbia. January 26, 2004. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  4. ^ Coyne, Todd (May 17, 2011). "From Citadel Heights to the Supreme Court". Victoria News. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "Geoff Plant, O.B.C., K.C." Gall Legge Grant Zwack LLP. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  6. ^ "Delgamuukw v. British Columbia, 1991 CanLII 2372 (BC SC)". CanLii. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  7. ^ "Delgamuukw v. British Columbia, 1997 CanLII 302 (SCC), [1997] 3 SCR 1010". CanLii. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  8. ^ Tenove, Chris (March 11, 2004). "The Lonely Life of the Independent MLA". The Tyee. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  9. ^ 'Broccoli minister' Hogg aims to drop 20 pounds:: [Final Edition] Inwood, Damian. The Province [Vancouver, B.C] 25 Aug 2006: A10.
  10. ^ "Campbell Cabinet: 37th Parliament 2001-2005, 38th Parliament 2005-2009, 39th Parliament 2009-2011" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  11. ^ BC Coalition of Women's Centres
  12. ^ "Letter from the B.C. CEDAW Group to the Honourable Geoff Plant, April 9 2003". Archived from the original on June 28, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2007.
  13. ^ Reality Check:Faced with funding cuts, non-profits are learning to become leaner, not meaner Archived 2007-06-08 at the Wayback Machine By Ben Parfitt, Published November 2003, Retrieved May 17, 2007
  14. ^ The Canadian Home of Polygamy Archived 2007-11-10 at the Wayback Machine, Fifth Estate, CBC, January 15, 2003, Retrieved on May 17, 2007
  15. ^ Law reform in British Columbia: A lecture sponsored by the BC Law Institute Archived 2007-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, Speech by Geoff Plant, BC Law Institute, November 13, 2003, Retrieved on May 17, 2007
  16. ^ McLintock, Barbara (March 14, 2005). "Geoff Plant and the B.C. Liberals' Exodus". The Tyee. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  17. ^ "John Yap - Liberal - Richmond Steveston". Richmond News. April 20, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Geoff Plant appointed to B.C. Law Institute". Ministry of Attorney General and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism of British Columbia. April 16, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Former attorney-general Geoff Plant named chancellor of Emily Carr University". Vancouver Sun. April 30, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  20. ^ "Campus 2020: Looking Ahead". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2007.
  21. ^ Smith, Charlie (April 25, 2007). "Campus 2020 maps out road to excellence". Georgia Straight. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  22. ^ "Native education programs in BC get $65 million". Macleans. April 25, 2007. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2007.
  23. ^ "Former AG appointed as Vancouver's new 'crime czar'". CBC News. May 17, 2007. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  24. ^ "Vancouver's civil city commissioner defending his job at city council". CKNW. November 13, 2007. Archived from the original on November 15, 2007.
  25. ^ "The Canada West Foundation appoints new leadership". Canada West Foundation. January 6, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  26. ^ "B.C. sends former AG Geoff Plant to Enbridge hearings". CBC News. September 6, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  27. ^ "New term limits force resignations of three BC Ferries board members". CTV News. The Canadian Press. May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  28. ^ "Statement of Votes - 37th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  29. ^ "Statement of Votes - 36th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
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