Honourable Wally Oppal


	(Right to left) Premier Gordon Campbell, along with Provincial Court of B.C. Chief Judge Hugh Stansfield and Attorney General Wally Oppal, officially open Vancouver's Downtown Community Court Sept. 6. The community court brings together integrated services aimed at helping offenders break free from the cycle of cirme, homelessness, addictions and mental illness. Click here for full-size photo



	Attorney General Wally Oppal, with Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism Dave Hayer, announces funding of $2.3 million over three years to the Association of Neighbourhood Houses for the Building Welcoming and Inclusive Neighbourhoods Pilot Project on June 30, 2008. Click here for more photos from this event



	Premier Gordon Campbell assists a survivor in lighting a candle to remember the six million people killed in the Holocaust. Attorney General Wally Oppal was MC for the May 5 Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony at the legislature. Click here for full-size photo



	Attorney General Wally Oppal (left), MLA John Nuraney, Music BC executive director Bob D'Eith and MLA Dave Hayer, as well as staff, students and other dignitaries, were treated to a performance by 15-year-old Joe Given at Champlain Heights elementary school during the March 14 launch of Make A Case Against Racism. The contest encourages grade four to seven students to create anti-racism artwork for the cover of a music CD featuring songs that reflect British Columbia's multicultural diversity. [Read more] Click here for full-size photo



	Attorney General Wally Oppal announces the provincial Nesika Awards, a new program to honour exceptional work in bringing B.C.'s diverse cultures together, during a news conference Feb. 11. The new awards, open to individuals, organizations and communities, honour and celebrate B.C.'s cultural diversity and indigenous communities. [Read more] Click here for full-size photo



	Attorney General Wally Oppal spoke to a packed forum at Langara College Jan. 30 on gang activity in Metro Vancouver. Oppal was part of a panel that included Vancouver police Chief Jim Chu, West Vancouver chief of police Kash Heed, local journalists, educators and police. Click here for full-size photo



	Premier Gordon Campbell spoke at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, an important historical and religious place in New Delhi, India during a December mission to China and India. He was joined by MLA Dave Hayer, Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism and Immigration, and Wally Oppal, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism. The Premier's address was broadcast live across India. Click here for full-size photo



	Larry Cade, program manager of the ministry's facilities services division, explains the progress of Vancouver's Downtown Community Court construction project to (right to left) Attorney General Wally Oppal, Solicitor General John Les, Judge Thomas Gove and social and justice integration executive lead Allison MacPhail. Media were invited to gain a first-hand look at the work being done to shape Vancouver's community court. Click here for full-size photo



	During a forum at Langara College on domestic abuse and violence against women, Minister Oppal made a presentation to Supreeti Gosh, Ashley Sandhu, and Mandeep Rokra. The evening session was dedicated to education, sharing ideas, and inspiring people to speak out on the issues of domestic violence and abuse. Click here for full-size photo



	Minister Oppal met with students and teachers at Brighouse Elementary in Richmond during the recent unveiling of the Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) initiative. SWIS will operate in secondary and elementary schools in 10 school districts in the Lower Mainland, Abbotsford and Greater Victoria this fall. Workers will help immigrant and refugee children adjust to school culture and focus on learning, while providing their parents and caregivers with an understanding of Canadian culture and the school system, increasing opportunities for their involvement in the school and community. Click here for full-size photo



	Tony Francis, Manager, Nanaimo Family Justice Services Centre, with Wally Oppal, Attorney General and Lisa Wood, Legal Services Society intake legal assistant celebrate the opening of the Nanaimo Family Justice Services Centre on September 20, 2007. The Centre offers a range of services to families undergoing separation and divorce and is one of the first intiatives to demonstrate a new and less adversarial approach to providing family justice services. Click here for full-size photo



	Premier Gordon Campbell (right), Perviz Madon, representing family members, and Attorney General Wally Oppal lay a wreath at an Air India memorial in Ceperley playground at Stanley Park. The memorial commemorates the 329 passengers and crew, including 82 children, who died on Air India flight 182 and two baggage handlers killed at Tokyo's Narita Airport in the June 23, 1985 terrorist incidents. Click here for full-size photo



	WelcomeBC, unveiled by Premier Gordon Campbell and Attorney General Wally Oppal June 13, will help immigrants moving to British Columbia to adapt to life in their new communities. Premier Campbell (second from left), seen here with Oppal (far right), Minister responsible for Multiculturalism, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. chief executive officer Tung Chan and Brenda Lohrenz of ELSA Net, announced $43 million over two years to expand immigration and settlement services. Planning for an additional $28.5 million in services over the next two years is also underway. Click here for full-size photo



	Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism Dave Hayer (centre) was on hand at the Burnaby Family Life Institute's launch of the Safe Harbour Program March 23 to present the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of B.C. (AMSSA) with a cheque for $225,000. The funding will enable AMSSA to continue their work with other community agencies to help eliminate racism and celebrate cultural diversity. Hayer is seen here with Jeanne Fike of the Burnaby Family Life Institute, Lynn Moran of AMSSA and representatives of both organizations. Click here for full-size photo



	With 2007 being the Year of the Boar, the Minister was on hand in Vancouver’s Chinatown to join in the festivities. He closed out the evening by feting celebrants at a Chinese New Year's banquet. Click here for full-size photo



	Attorney General Wally Oppal reads to children during Family Literacy Day Jan. 27. Teaching immigrants to read is crucial to ensuring they are productive members of their community, the Attorney General says. Read Now BC, announced Jan. 26 by Premier Gordon Campbell, will help make B.C. the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent by improving reading skills among children, aboriginals and adults. Click here for full-size photo



	Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism, Wally Oppal (right), Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism, Dave Hayer, MLA Mary Polak and Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister Mike de Jong present a proclamation to the Khalsa Diwan Society on Oct. 8, 2006, honouring their centennial celebration. Click here for full-size photo



	Premier Gordon Campbell, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism Wally Oppal, and Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism Dave Hayer, were on hand Sept. 9 to open North America's only dedicated kabaddi stadium, located in Surrey. They are shown here congratulating members of the Western Kabaddi Association. Click here for full-size photo



	VANCOUVER - Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism Wally Oppal and Economic Development Minister, Colin Hansen, along with Federal Immigration Minister Monty Solberg, attended a roundtable discussion with the Joint Federal-Provincial Immigration Advisory Council on July 25, 2006. The council is composed of 18 members who represent the immigration sector from numerous perspectives. These include federal and provincial officials, and local government representatives, as well as sector members from health authorities, social research, legal services, settlement and integration, business, education, community development, refugees, and others. Click here for full-size photo



	Attorney General Wally Oppal and Shuswap MLA George Abbott were in Salmon Arm today to celebrate with Mayor Marty Bootsma the opening of the new, state of the new art City Hall and Courthouse. The environmentally friendly construction features geothermal heating and cooling, and advanced audio-visual and communications systems. Click here for full-size photo



	Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism Wally Oppal was one of the guests celebrating the grand re-opening of the Italian Cultural Centre Society main hall On Saturday, May 6. The Cultural Centre was built in 1977 to maintain, promote and enhance the Italian culture in the fields of language, literature, art, and music, has now been completely renovated. Click here for full-size photo



	Attorney General and Multiculturalism Minister Wally Oppal was joined by Premier Gordon Campbell to distribute gifts at the Vaisakhi celebration April 15. Also present were Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism Dave Hayer and Langley MLA Mary Polak. Thousands of people attended Vaisakhi celebrations in both Vancouver and Surrey. Click here for full-size photo



		On Friday, March 3, Attorney General Wally Oppal was the keynote speaker for the University of British Columbia Law Review Annual Lecture Series. The speech focused on confidence in the Canadian justice system and respect for the law and its institutions. The Attorney, a graduate of UBC Law School, also attended a Moot Court put on by students. Pictured: Faculty of Law students Phil Dougan, Beth Regehr, Melanie Harmer, Megan Kammerer and Ada Lam with Attorney General Wally Oppal (second left). The students were all part of the Moot put on by UBC Law School Friday, March 3. Click here for full-size photo



		Wally Oppal, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism, recognized 31 new Queen's Counsel at a reception on Friday, February 17. The Queen’s Counsel designation is an honour conferred on members of the legal profession to recognize exceptional merit and contribution. New recipients were announced in December 2005. For more information see the news release and short biographies of the new Queen's Counsel. Click here for full-size photo



		Grade 8 students from the Beattie School of the Arts in Kamloops were recognized by Attorney General Wally Oppal for producing an anti-racism commercial that shows true leadership, respect and multicultural awareness. Left to right: Katie Degroot, Max Favell, Hon. Wally Oppal, Lily Nichol, Sonnjea Chwyl and Jasper Krupp-Hunter. Click here for full-size photo



		Attorney General Wally Oppal speaking at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Hong Kong's Cultural Heritage Exhibition at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver, Thursday, February 2. Click here for more photos from this event




		Attorney General Wally Oppal speaks with students from the International Business School Wednesday, January 18, 2006. The students were touring the Vancouver Law Courts to learn about Canadian Justice and had a chance to speak to the Attorney regarding his thoughts on the Canadian Justice System, immigration and multiculturalism. The discussion was filmed by a news documentary production team from Paris, France. Attorney General Oppal was interviewed as part of a documentary on immigration and multiculturalism to be shown across France during the summer of 2006. Click here for full-size photo



		Attorney General Wally Oppal and MLA Richard Lee along with Albert Fok, chairman of Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association and association vice-president William Chu tour a back alley in Chinatown to get a first hand look at safety concerns in the neighbourhood. The Attorney General met with several prominent members of the Chinese community while touring Vancouver's Chinatown Friday, Nov. 25, 2005. Click here for more photos from this event



		Attorney General Wally Oppal announces that residents of six B.C. communities will be able to resolve disputes around parking tickets and other minor bylaw offences at the local level at the 2005 Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention in Vancouver. The program diverts cases from the courts and makes justice more accessible. Click here for full-size photo



		Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism Wally Oppal, John Nuraney, MLA for Burnaby-Willingdon and Dave S. Hayer, MLA for Surrey-Tynehead met with over 100 seniors Thursday, July 21, 2005, for tea at the Sunset Indo-Canadian Seniors Society of Vancouver. The Society invited Minister Oppal for tea to celebrate his appointment as Attorney General of British Columbia. Photographs courtesy of Chandra Bodalia. Click here for more photos from this event



		Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism Wally Oppal paints the dragon during the opening ceremony of the 20th annual S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Walk with the Dragon fundraiser in Vancouver, Sunday July 17, 2005. Click here for full-size photo