British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General

Identity area

Type of entity

Government

Authorized form of name

British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General

Parallel form(s) of name

Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

Other form(s) of name

  • Dept. of the Attorney-General

Identifiers for corporate bodies

Description area

Dates of existence

1871-1976

History

The Attorney-General’s Department was established in 1871 by authority of the Constitution Act of 1871 (SBC 1871, c. 147). Prior to that, from 1863 to 1866, the origins of the ministry were in the offices of the Attorney-General for the Colony of Vancouver Island and for the Colony of British Columbia. In 1866, the colonies united to form one colony, with one Attorney-General, who remained in place until British Columbia became a province of the Dominion of Canada in 1871. The Attorney-General was the official legal advisor of the Lieutenant-Governor and of the Executive Council. He was responsible for the settlement and approval of all documents issued under the public seal of the province and for the supervision of magistrates, police, and the constabulary.

In 1899, the department was reconstituted by the Attorney-General’s Act (SBC 1899, c. 5), which expanded the duties and powers of the Attorney-General to include: management and direction of correctional institutions, the British Columbia Provincial Police, and the administration of public affairs; provision of legislative and legal advice to the representative of the Crown and the heads of government departments; administration of justice within the Province; and regulation of all litigation for and against the Crown and public departments within the jurisdiction of the Legislature.

At various times several different agencies have been under the direction of the Attorney-General, such as the Industrial Schools for Boys and for Girls, Factories Inspection Branch, Electrical Energy Inspection Branch, Mothers’ Pension Board, Municipal Branch, Provincial Board of Health, Prohibition Commission, Public Utilities Commission, and Superintendent of Neglected Children. In most instances these agencies have later been placed under the management of other departments, absorbed into new organizations, or abolished altogether.

In 1976, the Dept. of the Attorney-General was renamed the Ministry of the Attorney General (OIC 3199/76).

Places

Legal status

Functions, occupations and activities

Mandates/sources of authority

Internal structures/genealogy

A Government Name

General context

Relationships area

Related entity

British Columbia. Government Travel Bureau

Identifier of related entity

16102

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

Description of relationship

Related entity

British Columbia (Colony). Attorney-General (1859-1871)

Identifier of related entity

14

Category of relationship

temporal

Type of relationship

British Columbia (Colony). Attorney-General

is the predecessor of

British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General

Dates of relationship

Description of relationship

Related entity

British Columbia. Ministry of the Attorney-General (1976-1979)

Identifier of related entity

52

Category of relationship

temporal

Type of relationship

British Columbia. Ministry of the Attorney-General

is the successor of

British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General

Dates of relationship

Description of relationship

Access points area

Subject access points

Place access points

Occupations

Control area

Authority record identifier

51

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Michael Carter 2008-07-29

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Central Name Authority File

Maintenance notes

Created by: Michael Carter

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