New attorney general Suzanne Anton took a hard line on Occupy Vancouver protests

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      Premier Christy Clark's decision to appoint Suzanne Anton as attorney general and justice minister will not be celebrated by civil libertarians.

      During her ill-fated run for Vancouver mayor in 2011, Anton routinely chastised Mayor Gregor Robertson for not launching a crackdown on the Occupy Vancouver protest.

      Anton even introduced a notice of motion calling on the city to immediately remove all structures from the front lawn of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

      The motion, which wasn't seconded, resolved that a staff team, including police, "implement the removal of the structures in a peaceful manner".

      This is despite the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteeing freedom of association, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of expression.

      Here's what council candidate Chris Shaw said about Anton's position before the 2011 municipal election:

      “If Suzanne Anton really wants to have a civic disturbance, that’s the best way to get it. I think that Suzanne Anton, for all her other charms—whatever those may be—unfortunately doesn’t really recognize that this city has a major problem with poverty and homelessness, and that there is also this thing called civil rights and legitimate dissent, which this is. It is a nonviolent expression of distaste. And you notice that we’re not using a large number of city resources at the moment. The police have largely gone home.”

      Under the Attorney General Act, Anton's duties will be to advise on legislation, all matters of law, and act as legal counsel to the heads of all ministries.

      Her appointment comes as Sensible B.C. is ramping up its campaign to have a provincewide referendum on the regulation of marijuana.

      The group's Sensible Policing Act seeks to decriminalize marijuana possession and work toward legalization.

      Former attorneys general Geoff Plant, Ujjal Dosanjh, Colin Gablelmann, and Graeme Bowbrick have all called on Clark to endorse legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana to raise revenue and curtail gang activity. They did this in support of the Stop the Violence B.C. Coalition.

      Anton, a former prosecutor, has never publicly endorsed the Sensible Policing Act. Nor has she condemned the war on drugs along the lines of the former attorneys general.

      She's described on the B.C. Liberal website as a "lawyer" when she's actually a nonpractising lawyer.

      Under Law Society of B.C. rules, nonpractising lawyers must declare in writing that they will not practise law except on a pro bono basis or as a designated paralegal.

      Comments

      19 Comments

      Meathead

      Jun 7, 2013 at 6:24pm

      Suzanne Anton's past actions and comments offer further proof of my theory that she has the brain of a duck.

      HellSlayerAndy

      Jun 7, 2013 at 11:54pm

      So?

      I recall the provNDP staying as far way from that protest as their Federal counterparts did with the Quebec student protests.

      Remind us again what the Provincial NDP were proposing regarding civilian oversight of law enforcement in this province, eh? Oh right...they ducked that one. Like the Liberals, they decided that was an important issue.

      BTW do you have a call into Libby's office to see what she thinks about Sikh kids wearing turbans in Quebec soccer leagues...Tom and his Le Belle Buddies seem to be MIA on that one? When you get her on the phone ask her about that CSC ruling stripping common-law couples of their rights in Quebec and where the Federal NDP stands on this subject?

      But good luck trying to convince Progressives they should go for the Small C alternative over the Big C one, eh?

      Alan Layton

      Jun 8, 2013 at 10:07am

      I was astonished that she won her riding, considering how poorly she did in the Mayoral election. Were the other candidates that bad?

      Sarah B

      Jun 8, 2013 at 11:54am

      This is a joke. I hope I wake up soon. And Anton is not stupid, nor does she quack. She's smart enough to marshall all sorts of pseudo-convincing argyments against civil liberties. She's the perfect mouthpiece for a fascist government. This is a terrible day for BC.

      Arm Chair

      Jun 8, 2013 at 2:08pm

      Oh my god...they made this chick the AG?? For our province, as in BC???

      She was that annoying yappy toy-dog nipping at your ankle when she was on Vancouver council. Hardly making any sense but just opposing people for the sake of opposing. Ok Adrian Dix - you REALLY screwed up buddy!

      Oh well, let's sit back and enjoy these next several years witnessing the soap opera that'll pan out.

      Brenda

      Jun 8, 2013 at 2:48pm

      say goodbye to democracy

      HellSlayerAndy

      Jun 8, 2013 at 4:02pm

      Sarah B said " She's the perfect mouthpiece for a fascist government."

      No...a fascist government is one where the AG accepts at face value a warrant produced by three freelancing RCMP officers signed by a vacationing Palm Springs judge and arrests the acting Premier of the province.
      The AG then appoints himself acting Premier.

      You must be new to the province?

      CAMarijuana2016

      Jun 8, 2013 at 7:52pm

      Lets see how she deals with these issues now that she will be the one making the decisions. Consequences come in many forms!

      Person with a job

      Jun 8, 2013 at 9:01pm

      OMG she is actually a lawyer, what a nice change. Sorry for all of you people who actually weren't there for the drug camp that was occupy Vancouver. I wasn't aware that overdosing on heroine was a civil right.

      Peter

      Jun 8, 2013 at 11:51pm

      Anton is a disaster plain and simple and probably got the job because she is the biggest boot licker that wasn't a threat to Christy

      If I was that PhD/MD/LLB/Rode Scholar Andrew Wilkinson I would be mad as hell

      Also why did MD Moira Stillwell and former Mayor of Vancouver Sam Sullivan get kicked to the curb???