Biogtaphy

January 24, 2007

Wally Oppal was born in the Vancouver-Fraserview neighborhood, attended the law school at UBC, and then returned home to practice law for 14 years. He has dedicated his entire working life to improving social justice and community safety.

He was the first Canadia-born Indian to become a Supreme Court judge, has also been appointed the minister for multiculturalism.

• Wally was appointed Attorney General on June 16, 2005. He was elected in the riding of Vancouver-Fraserview in the 2005 provincial general election.
• He was appointed to the County Court of British Columbia in 1981 and to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1985. In 2003, he was appointed to the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

Wally has held throughout the years:

• Permanent group leader of the Advocacy course of the Continuing Legal Education Society and President- Law Courts Education Society of British Columbia
• Former Director, Family Services of Greater Vancouver
• Member, 1993 Ad Hoc Advisory Committee for a National Strategy on Community Safety and Crime Prevention
• Director, B.C. Coalition for Safer Communities
• Member, Supreme Court National Criminal Law Programme Judges Criminal Law Committee
  
  
  Author of report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into Policing in British Columbia.
  Wally is an avid reader, enjoys staying physically fit by playing basketball, as well as coaching in the Steve Nash basketball league. In his teens, Wally had a professional baseball tryout. Wally is married and has two children, both still in school.

MLA: Hon. Wally Oppal, Q.C.

Vancouver-Fraserview

Attorney-General and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism

Elected: 2005

BRITISH COLUMBIA LIBERAL PARTY