Geoff Plant
Encyclopedia
Geoff Plant, QC
(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 operates St. Paul's Hospital
.
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. For a year, Plant was a clerk in the Supreme Court of Canada
in Ottawa
prior to being called to the bar in 1982.
where the Supreme Court of Canada
made its most definitive statement on the nature of Aboriginal title
in Canada
.
in the British Columbia Legislature for the BC Liberal Party. He was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the 1996 election
with 56 per cent of the vote. He served as Opposition Justice Critic and was Opposition Leader's Gordon Campbell's roommate in Victoria
.
Plant was re-elected with 69 per cent of the vote in the 2001 election
as part of Campbell’s first-term government. He served as the Attorney General of British Columbia
and Minister responsible for Treaty Negotiations from 2001 to 2005.
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.
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 http://www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/GeoffPlant_Aug_02.html and was noted by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
. Cuts to legal aid
prompted the Law Society to censure
him. On the issue of polygamy
in Bountiful
, Plant cited constitutional concerns for religious rights but also formed an investigative team to research the situation.
When Plant chose not to run for a second term in government, he cited a wish to spend more time with his wife who was experiencing breast cancer
. 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
and for Campus 2020: a review of post-secondary education. He also has accepted a position as a sessional instructor at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law
.
Mayor Sam Sullivan
to the newly-created position of Civil City Commissioner, a part-time job with a budget of $300,000. The position will lead Project Civil City, the mayor's effort to enhance public order in Vancouver's public areas by reducing homelessness
, aggressive panhandling and the open drug market by at least 50 per cent by 2010. There has been controversy regarding this position, with some expressing doubt as to its usefulness.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born c.1956 ) is a British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and retired politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
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 operates St. Paul's Hospital
St. Paul's Hospital (Vancouver)
St. Paul's Hospital is an acute care, teaching and research hospital located in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the largest of the seven health care facilities operated by Providence Health Care, a Roman Catholic faith-based care provider. St...
.
Education
Raised in Vancouver, Plant received a B.A. from Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1978 and law degrees from the University of Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1980, Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
in Halifax in 1981, and from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in 1989. For a year, Plant was a clerk in the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
prior to being called to the bar in 1982.
Aboriginal rights
Plant was counsel in a number of leading aboriginal rights and title cases, including the 1997 landmark case of Delgamuukw v. British ColumbiaDelgamuukw v. British Columbia
Delgamuukw v. British Columbia [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1010, also known as Delgamuukw vs. the Queen is a famous leading decision of the Supreme Court of Canada where the Court made its most definitive statement on the nature of aboriginal title in Canada....
where the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
made its most definitive statement on the nature of Aboriginal title
Aboriginal title
Aboriginal title is a common law doctrine that the land rights of indigenous peoples to customary tenure persist after the assumption of sovereignty under settler colonialism...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
MLA and Attorney General
Plant has lived in Richmond since 1984 and represented the riding of Richmond-StevestonRichmond-Steveston
Richmond-Steveston is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.- Demographics :- Member of Legislative Assembly :Its MLA is John Yap. He was first elected in 2005, and was re-elected in 2009...
in the British Columbia Legislature for the BC Liberal Party. He was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the 1996 election
British Columbia general election, 1996
The British Columbia general election of 1996 was the thirty sixth provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 30, 1996, and held on May 28, 1996...
with 56 per cent of the vote. He served as Opposition Justice Critic and was Opposition Leader's Gordon Campbell's roommate in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
.
Plant was re-elected with 69 per cent of the vote in the 2001 election
British Columbia general election, 2001
The British Columbia general election of 2001 was the 37th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 18, 2001, and held on May 16, 2001...
as part of Campbell’s first-term government. He served as the Attorney General of British Columbia
Attorney General of British Columbia
The Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia is a provincial government department responsible for the oversight of the justice system within the province of British Columbia, Canada...
and Minister responsible for Treaty Negotiations from 2001 to 2005.
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.
He oversaw the province-wide British Columbia Treaty Referendum in 2002 and the creation and oversight of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform
Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform (British Columbia)
The Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform is a group created by the government of British Columbia, Canada to investigate changes to the provincial electoral system...
. A policy change that affected whether domestic violence complaints would be automatically prosecuted did receive criticism from women's centres http://www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/GeoffPlant_Aug_02.html and was noted by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women is an international convention adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly....
. Cuts to legal aid
Legal aid
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.A number of...
prompted the Law Society to censure
Censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spiritual penalty imposed by a church, and a negative judgment pronounced on a theological proposition.-Politics:...
him. On the issue of polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
in Bountiful
Bountiful, British Columbia
Bountiful is a settlement located in the Creston Valley of southeastern British Columbia, Canada, near Cranbrook and Creston. The closest community is Lister, British Columbia....
, Plant cited constitutional concerns for religious rights but also formed an investigative team to research the situation.
When Plant chose not to run for a second term in government, he cited a wish to spend more time with his wife who was experiencing breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. Upon his exit from provincial politics, he joined the law firm of Heenan Blaikie
Heenan Blaikie
Heenan Blaikie LLP is a full service Canadian law firm. It practices in the areas of business, labour and employment, litigation, taxation, entertainment law and intellectual property law. The firm was founded in 1973 by Roy Heenan, Donald Johnston, and Peter Blaikie...
while maintaining government appointments as senior advisor in land and resource negotiations with the Council of the Haida Nation
Council of the Haida Nation
The Council of the Haida Nation is the Aboriginal Sovereign Authority and Government of the Haida Nation. The Haida Nation is engaged in a Title dispute of their territories, Haida Gwaii, with the government of Canada. The Haida Nation also includes portions of Alaska...
and for Campus 2020: a review of post-secondary education. He also has accepted a position as a sessional instructor at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law
University of Victoria Faculty of Law
The University of Victoria Faculty of Law is a law school at the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The school grants JD, LLM, and PhD degrees in law.-Reputation:...
.
Campus 2020
Plant was appointed as a Special Advisor to the Premier and Minister of Advanced Education to lead a project called Campus 2020: Looking Head, the first comprehensive review of post-secondary education in British Columbia in over 40 years.Civil City Commissioner
In May 2007, Plant was appointed by VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
Mayor Sam Sullivan
Sam Sullivan
Sam Sullivan, CM served as the 38th mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and has been invested as a Member of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian award...
to the newly-created position of Civil City Commissioner, a part-time job with a budget of $300,000. The position will lead Project Civil City, the mayor's effort to enhance public order in Vancouver's public areas by reducing homelessness
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, aggressive panhandling and the open drug market by at least 50 per cent by 2010. There has been controversy regarding this position, with some expressing doubt as to its usefulness.