Wallace Oppal, Q.C. (born 1940 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a Canadian lawyer, former judge and provincial politician, who was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in 2005 as a BC Liberal MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview.

Born in the Fraserview precinct of south Vancouver, Oppal is a graduate of the University of British Columbia law school and operated his own law practice before going to the Bench. He was appointed to the County Court of Vancouver in 1981 and to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1985. In 2003, he was appointed to the British Columbia Court of Appeal where he served until he resigned to seek election to the provincial legislature. He is the second Indo-Canadian Attorney-General of British Columbia.

Oppal served in the provincial cabinet as Attorney General of British Columbia and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism. He is also known as the author of the report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into Policing in British Columbia (the Oppal Inquiry).

Oppal announced in March 2007 that he was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. By the end of the month, his doctor declared Oppal cancer free.

For the 2009 provincial election, Oppal switched to the riding of Delta South. In initial results on election night, Oppal led in Delta South by a margin of just two votes over independent candidate Vicki Huntington. On May 26, 2009, a recount revealed that Huntington had defeated Oppal by 32 votes. A judicial recount on June 2 confirmed Huntington's victory.

References

1. "B.C. attorney general to be treated for prostate cancer". cbc.ca, March 1, 2007.
2. "Oppal clinging to a two-vote lead". The Globe and Mail, May 13, 2009.
3. "Huntington defeats Oppal in B.C. election recount". cbc.ca, May 26, 2009.
4. "Huntington win over Oppal upheld by judicial recount". Vancouver Sun, June 2, 2009.

External links

• Wally Oppal