Premier Christy Clark Premier Christy Clark Preceded by Colin Hansen Preceded by Ben Stewart | Premier Christy Clark Name Andrew Wilkinson Preceded by Amrik Virk Succeeded by Amrik Virk | |
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Role Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Party British Columbia Liberal Party Office Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since 2013 Education University of Alberta, Dalhousie University, University of Oxford | ||
Andrew Wilkinson, Q.C. is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2013 provincial election. He represents the electoral district of Vancouver-Quilchena as a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party. He served as Minister of Justice and Attorney General from June 12, 2017 until an NDP minority government was sworn in the following month. He previously served as Minister of Advanced Education from December 18, 2014 and the Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services from June 10, 2013. He was the deputy minister of the British Columbia Ministry of Economic Development from 2003 to 2006, where he was responsible for economic issues, trade and tourism. He also served as deputy minister for Intergovernmental Relations in the Premier's Office for two years from 2001-2003.
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Early life and education
Wilkinson was born in Australia. He immigrated to Canada at the age of four and grew up in Kamloops, B.C. Wilkinson graduated from the University of Alberta with his M.D.(with distinction). He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford in 1980, where he completed his first degree in law. He went on to receive his L.L.B. from Dalhousie University in 1987.
Prior to his election as MLA, Wilkinson was a partner in the Vancouver office of McCarthy Tétrault, a major national law firm, where he practiced in litigation. He was appointed as Queen's Counsel in 2008. Prior to being called to the British Columbia bar in 1988, Wilkinson lived and worked as a doctor in Campbell River, Lillooet and Dease Lake. He has also served as president of the BC Civil Liberties Association from 1993 to 1995, and the BC Mountaineering Club.
Politics
Wilkinson served as the president of the BC Liberal Party from 1998 to 2001.
After defeating Suzanne Anton for the Liberal party nomination, Wilkinson was elected to represent the constituency of Vancouver-Quilchena in the 2013 provincial election.
Premier Christy Clark appointed Wilkinson as the Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services on June 10, 2013, and he was then appointed as Minister of Advanced Education on December 17, 2014. He served as the Attorney General from June 12, 2017 to July 18, 2017.
He announced his candidacy to replace Clark as leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party on September 25, 2017.
Personal life
Wilkinson is married with three children and lives in Vancouver, B.C. Wilkinson is past-president of the Vancouver Institute and has served on boards including the Canadian Tourism Commission, Tourism B.C., and the Federation of B.C. Mountain Clubs. He is a former president of the B.C. Mountaineering Club.