Andrew Petter
Andrew Petter | |
---|---|
President and Vice-Chancellor of Simon Fraser University | |
In office 2010–2020 | |
Preceded by | Michael Stevenson |
Succeeded by | Joy Johnson |
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Saanich South | |
In office October 17, 1991 – May 16, 2001 | |
Preceded by | Riding Established |
Succeeded by | Susan Brice |
Personal details | |
Born | 1953 Oak Bay, British Columbia |
Political party | New Democrat |
Children | Dylan |
Alma mater | Notre Dame University University of Victoria Cambridge University |
Profession | Professor Lawyer |
Andrew J. Petter CM OBC QC (born 1953) is the chair of Innovate BC, a provincial Crown agency responsible for supporting innovation and growth in the technology sector in British Columbia.
Andrew Petter served as President and Vice-Chancellor of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. He is also a former provincial politician. He was the Dean of the University of Victoria law school and served briefly as Attorney General of British Columbia under the New Democratic Party government of Ujjal Dosanjh. Petter has written extensively about the role of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and its effect on government powers and decision making.[1]
In 2018, he was appointed to the Order of Canada in recognition of his commitment and leadership in advancing university-community engagement and higher education throughout the country. In 2018, he also earned the Peter Lougheed Award for Leadership in Public Policy from the Public Policy Forum. In 2020, he received an honorary degree from Kwantlen Polytechnic University for his leadership, collaborative program development and advocacy for post-secondary education in the region. In 2021, he was admitted to the Order of British Columbia for his transformative impact on public policy, legal engagement and community betterment.
Education[]
Petter pursued undergraduate studies at now defunct Notre Dame University College in Nelson, BC and at the University of Victoria before receiving an LL.B. from the University of Victoria in 1981. Upon graduation he won the Law Society of British Columbia gold medal for the highest standing in his class.[2] He subsequently received an LL.M. from Cambridge University in 1982 where he studied on a Commonwealth Scholarship and graduated with first class honours.[3]
Career[]
Petter was a legal adviser to the Constitutional Branch of the .[4] Petter then taught at Osgoode Hall Law School between 1984 and 1986. He then joined the University of Victoria Faculty of Law in 1986.
Politics[]
Petter was twice elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the general provincial elections of 1991 and 1996; from 1991 until 2001 Petter represented the riding of Saanich South.[5] His constituency work included establishing the Galloping Goose Regional Trail for cyclists.[6]
During his time in the Legislative Assembly, he held several cabinet portfolios including that of Attorney General of British Columbia from February to November 2000.[7] He served as Minister of Advanced Education, Training and Technology and Minister of Intergovernmental Relations from February 1998 to February 2000, and was Minister Responsible for Youth for part of that time. Petter also served as Minister of Finance and Corporate Relations and Minister Responsible for Intergovernmental Relations from June 1996 to February 1998, Minister of Health from February to June 1996, Minister of Forests from September 1993 to February 1996 and Minister of Aboriginal Affairs from November 1991 to September 1993.[8] As from September 1993 to February 1996, Petter oversaw the establishment of the .[9] He also was on the First Nations Task Force along with Brian Mulroney, Tom Sidden, and Mike Harcourt that created and put into effect- The Treaty Commission Act in British Columbia in May 1993.
Higher education[]
Subsequent to his career in politics, he served as dean of the University of Victoria's faculty of law from 2001 until 2008 (the first year as Acting Dean).[10] During his time as Dean, the UVic Faculty established a new graduate law program, created a national aboriginal economic development chair and supported the first cohort of the Akitsiraq Law School in Nunavut.[11]
Innovate BC[]
On March 19, 2021, Petter was appointed chair of Innovate BC’s board of directors.[12] He took over the position from Alan Shaver. The appointment was announced by Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.
Selected publications[]
- "Private Rights/Public Wrongs: The Liberal Lie of the Charter" in the University of Toronto Law Journal, 1995
- "The Politics of the Charter", , 1986
- "Rights in Conflict: The Dilemma of Charter Legitimacy", University of British Columbia Law Review, 1989
- "Federalism and the Myth of the Federal Spending Power", Canadian Bar Review, 1989
Electoral results[]
1991 British Columbia general election: Saanich South | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures | ||||
New Democratic | Andrew Petter | 10,254 | 44.63 | $42,789 | ||||
Liberal | Lorne Peasland | 8,309 | 36.17 | $7,035 | ||||
Social Credit | Allen L. Vandekerkhove | 4,218 | 18.36 | $92,822 | ||||
Western Canada Concept | Douglas Christie | 193 | 0.84 | – | ||||
Total valid votes | 22,974 | 100.00 | ||||||
Total rejected ballots | 300 | 1.03 | ||||||
Turnout | 23,274 | 79.87 |
1996 British Columbia general election: Saanich South | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures | ||||
New Democratic | Andrew Petter | 11,394 | 46.11 | $46,181 | ||||
Liberal | Frank Leonard | 10,867 | 43.98 | $42,352 | ||||
Progressive Democrat | Cherie Dealey | 1,198 | 4.85 | $6,794 | ||||
Reform | Colin Knecht | 676 | 2.74 | $2,842 | ||||
Green | Jack Etkin | 343 | 1.39 | $1,081 | ||||
Natural Law | Gail Anderson | 86 | 0.35 | $100 | ||||
Western Canada Concept | Douglas Christie | 66 | 0.27 | $100 | ||||
Libertarian | Ken Wiebe | 40 | 0.16 | – | ||||
Common Sense | Laery Braaten | 38 | 0.15 | $100 | ||||
Total valid votes | 24,708 | 100.00 | ||||||
Total rejected ballots | 141 | 0.57 | ||||||
Turnout | 24,849 | 77.16 |
References[]
- ^ https://www.sfu.ca/pamr/media_releases/media_releases_archives/media_01191003.html
- ^ Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. "36th Parliament Members". Biography. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ University of Victoria Official Web Page. "UVic Law Faculty Directory". University of Victoria. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. "36th Parliament Members". Biography. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ Mondo Politico. "Short Biography of Andrew Petter". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ University of Victoria Official Web Page. "UVic Alumni Profile". 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award Page. Retrieved 2009-12-02.[dead link]
- ^ University of Victoria Official Web Page. "UVic Law Faculty Directory". University of Victoria. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. "36th Parliament Members". Biography. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ Reporter Gerry Bellett. "36th Parliament Members". Vancouver Sun Newspaper. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ^ University of Victoria Official Web Page. "UVic Law Faculty Directory". University of Victoria. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ Staff Reporter for The Province Newspaper. "Former MLA Petter will become Simon Fraser University president". Archived from the original on 22 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ Innovation, Jobs Economic Recovery and (2021-03-19). "New Innovate BC board chair appointed | BC Gov News". news.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- 1953 births
- Alumni of the University of Cambridge
- British Columbia New Democratic Party MLAs
- Canadian legal scholars
- Canadian Queen's Counsel
- Canadian university and college chief executives
- Canadian university and college faculty deans
- Law school deans
- Living people
- Members of the Executive Council of British Columbia
- Members of the Order of Canada
- Members of the Order of British Columbia
- Politicians from Victoria, British Columbia
- Simon Fraser University
- University of Victoria alumni
- Attorneys General of British Columbia
- Finance ministers of British Columbia
- Health ministers of British Columbia