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This series consists of subject files, correspondence, and other records from the Office of the Attorney General from 1945-2001. The records document all aspects of the Attorney General's role, including advice to Cabinet, political oversight of the ministry, and involvement in inter-ministerial and inter-governmental initiatives. Files relate to all branches and functions of the Ministry of Attorney General and many include an overview of the work conducted by various branches of the ministry.

The majority of records are subject or correspondence files documenting the Attorney General’s liaisons with government ministries and other government bodies. The subjects included in these records are extremely diverse. A few prominent subjects include: liquor control, Doukhobors, policing, allegations of corruption and abuse of authority by government officials, Indigenous communities, horse racing, banking, treaties, development projects, and federal-provincial relations. Included is inward and outward correspondence with Members of the Legislative Assembly, Ministers, members of the public, and representatives of various organizations or companies, alongside related reference material. Within more recent records, outgoing correspondence may be filed separately as "flimsies" (copies of outgoing correspondence often on thin, coloured paper). Many records are copies requiring review or approval by the Attorney General, such as requests for legislation and orders in council (OICs), with related background information.

Other types of records vary over the years and may include: Police Board records and complaints; settlement offers with First Nations; commission records; Human Rights Tribunal records; annual reports; legal opinions; press releases; newspaper clippings; statistics; budgets; audits; Freedom of Information requests; Treasury Board submissions; court records; files related to sessions of parliament; daily journals or agendas (for 1945-1951 only); and briefs submitted to Cabinet from interested third parties. Records also include interfiled Attorney General and Solicitor General correspondence, beginning with the establishment of the BC Ministry of Solicitor General on 6 July 1988.

Names and dates of Attorney Generals (and Solicitor Generals) covering these records are:
-Robert Bonner (Aug 1952-May 1968)
-Leslie Peterson (May 1968-Sep 1972)
-Alexander MacDonald (Sep 1972-Dec 1975)
-Garde B. Gardom (Dec 1975-Nov 1979)
-Allan Williams (Nov 1979-May 1983)
-Brian Smith (May 1983-Jun 1988)
-Angus Creelman Ree, Solicitor General (Jul 1988-Nov 1989)
-Bud Smith (Aug 1988-Jul 1990)
-Russell Fraser (Jul 1990-Nov 1991)
-Colin Gabelmann (Nov 1991-Aug 1995)
-Ujjal Dosanjh (Aug 1995-Feb 2000)
-Andrew Petter (Feb 2000-Nov 2000)
-Graeme Bowbrick (Nov 2000-Jun 2001)

These records are covered under Executive Records schedule 102906. Accession 86-0270 is covered under one-time schedule 860140. Accession 88-0290 is covered under one-time schedule 870873. Accession 87-0729 is covered under one-time schedule 870224.

Series consists of a register of telegrams and correspondence regarding Ktunaxa Nation ["Kootenay Indian"] affairs in 1885-1887. Records primarily pertain to the murder of miners Matthew Hilton and William Kemp, whose bodies were found at Deadman's Creek near Kicking Horse, and the subsequent investigation of two Ktunaxa Nation men and one youth. The outcome of the investigation is not included. The first double-sided page is an index.

The records were scheduled for selective retention under ORCS schedule 100152.

Series consists of British Columbia coroners' inquisitions (inquests) for 1938-1967. Inquisitions are investigations in which a coroners’ jury rules on the cause of death. Inquisition files often contain witness statements, transcripts, autopsy reports, and findings.

This series consists of British Columbia coroners' inquiries filed within Attorney General correspondence under AG file code C-81-4 from 1938-1970. It also includes one file from 1972 for the inquiry into the death of Fred Quilt. Inquiries are investigations conducted by a single coroner and usually consist of a single form. Not all coroners’ records between 1859 and 1970 have survived or are in the legal custody of the BC Archives. In this series, Vancouver inquiries do not begin until 1966.

Records are arranged alphabetically by community, repeated across several date ranges. Researchers should carefully crosscheck communities against dates when seeking specific records. On reels B04985 to B04987, record pages are consecutively numbered. On reels B04988 to B05026, record pages are consecutively numbered within a community. On reels B05027 to B05084, pages are consecutively numbered within a record.

Series consists of British Columbia coroners' inquisitions (inquests) for 1872-1937. Also includes one amendment to a 1862 inquisition. Inquisitions are investigations in which a coroners’ jury rules on the cause of death. Inquisition files often contain witness statements, transcripts, autopsy reports, and findings.

This series contains correspondence files, inward and outward, covering all topics for which the Attorney General was responsible, including legislation and opinions to other departments. During this period, Attorney General responsibilities included industrial schools, motor vehicles, Liquor Control Board, Game Commissioner, Inspector of Municipalities, Registrar of Companies, Inspector of Factories, Inspector of Electrical Energy and Inspector of Tramways.

Series consists of a selection of coroner's inquisitions (inquests) and related exhibits from 1865-1964. Inquisitions are investigations in which a coroner's jury rules on the cause of death. Inquisition files often contain witness statements, transcripts, autopsy reports, and findings.

Included are inquisition records chosen by BC Archives staff for retention in their original paper format for historical purposes from 1865-1937 (boxes 1-13); various exhibits from inquisitions held between 1962-1964 that were not suitable for microfilming (box 14); and a photocopy of a transcript from an inquisition held in 1943 (box 15).

This series consists of guides and indexes to correspondence from the Department of the Attorney General. Records include a subject index, 1911-1918; a guide to filing system, 1902-1911, including index to subject drawers; a guide to filing system, 1919-1924; and a guide to filing system, 1925-1937.

The series consists of Attorney General correspondence regarding C95 (criminal prosecutions). Some files date from as early as 1938 but the bulk of the series is from 1966-1970. Note: Some information has been severed from this finding aid in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Where information has been removed, this is indicated by the following annotation [severed]. APPENDIX 'A' CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS C 95 Case Charge/Court site 3 general 4 drunk driving 5 hanging 6 offensive weapons 7 stenographer accounts 8 gambling 9 suggested prosecutions 10 statistics 11 salacious literature 12 Court of Appeal 13 Assizes 15 Cranbrook Assize 16 Kamloops Assize 17 Nanaimo Assize 18 Nelson Assize 19 New Westminster Assize 20 Pouce Coupe Assize 21 Prince George Assize 22 Prince Rupert Assize 23 Quesnel 25 Vancouver Assize 26 Vernon Assize 27 Victoria Assize 28 Williams Lake Assize, formerly C98-24 29 Transfer from other provinces 30 Order-in-Council Patient Review Board

Series consists of 1857-1966 files forwarded to the Attorney-General. They are primarily transcripts of depositions and/or preliminary hearings and trials. Records are numbered consecutively by year they were filed. Volumes 878 to 885 are registers and indexes for the records.

This series contains several draft documents and letters, the majority of which appear to have originated from the office of Theodore Davie, Attorney General of British Columbia from 1889 to 1892.

The records cover a diverse range of topics and do not appear to be arranged in any specific order. The majority of documents appear to be drafts of court documents or correspondence, many of which are hand-written or have hand-written annotations and corrections. There are also copies of pamphlets, published reports of select committees (court proceedings) and papers related to various Supreme Court of British Columbia cases.

Many of the records in this series appear to be related to matters of transportation, health, new legislation and legal cases in the Supreme Court. At least four files are related to railway or ferry transportation subsidies in the province and include indentures or other agreements between the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works and the Kootenay Valley Company, the Canadian Pacific Railway, James Uren of the Savona Ferry, the Victoria and Sidney Railway Company, the Alberta and British Columbia Exploration Company Ltd, Nakusp & Slocan Railway Company and the Nelson and Fort Sheppard Railway.

Records related to health issues can be found in at least two files and mainly concern legislation around preventing the spread of smallpox including the appointment of Health Officers, the appointment of a commission to investigate outbreaks of smallpox, and mandatory vaccination. There are also letters and pamphlets sent to Chief Justice Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie from anti-vaccinators asking to repeal compulsory vaccination.

Drafts for new legislation and orders in council submitted by the President Executive Council can be found in at least three files and relate to welfare for new settler families arriving in BC from Scotland to work in the fishing industry (Crofter Settlement Act, 1892), education including the establishment of the University of British Columbia (British Columbia University Amendment Act), the census, amendments to city limits, appointments of public servants, issues around expenditures (Royal Commission for Investigating the Municipal Management of the City of Victoria), the alleged hostility of the Chilcotin, and the amendments or new drafts of the Act of Incorporation, the Court Act, the Juror’s Act, the Land Registry Act, The Magistrate’s Act, An Act to enable the Lieutenant Governor in Council to establish courts of revision from cities of the Province, the Municipal Act, The Land Agents Regulation Act, The British Columbia Railway Act, an Act respecting the unauthorized use of the provincial coat of arms, the Constitution Act, and the Mining Partnerships Act among other legislation.

There is also a significant amount of draft records related to legal proceedings in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. These include cases such as John Nicholson Muir vs. the Queen, the Queen vs J.D. Demers and Numa Demers, The Esquimalt Graving Dock Contract case, the Attack on Funeral Procession of Ellis Roberts case regarding hostilities between union and non-union miners, Horace S. Shepard vs. Samuel Maxwell regarding revenue taxes, and Cooley et al. vs. Fitzstubbs regarding rights to mining plots.

Series consists of the 1974-1978 operational records of Mark Krasnick, Director, Policy Planning. The Policy Planning Group co-ordinates policy for the Dept. of the Attorney-General (later Ministry of the Attorney-General), linking ministry priorities and goals with those of government and preparing policy briefing material. The group may be required to initiate the development of policy on major issues, co-ordinate policy development on issues of intra-departmental concern, prepare briefs on policy issues for the Attorney-General and Deputy Attorney-General, and/or co-ordinate the implementation of policy recommendations on specific issues. The records include correspondence, minutes, briefing notes, reports, articles, and publications.

The series consists of punishment ledgers, correspondence, memos, and guidelines created at Oakalla Prison between 1941 and 1972. The records relate to the performance of both inmates and staff and the series includes several reference or review letters for prison employees. The punishment ledgers include the date of punishment, inmate name and number, age of inmate, number of previous infractions, nature of offense, by whom offense reported, sentence, date of sentence and any other remarks made by prison staff. The ledgers are arranged by date of infraction.

The series also consists of a number of memos and correspondence, some of which were written by inmates to the prison warden. The series also includes letters from the Inspector of Gaols to the Oakalla warden. This correspondence includes reports of incidents, escapes, hospitalizations, and conditions in the compound. The series also consists of one file detailing wartime conditions and blackout restrictions.

Records in the series are covered by ORCS 46020-08, 46020-20 and 59840-20 of the Corrections Branch records schedule (schedule 891849).

Series consists of Coroners' inquiries conducted in Vancouver for 1938-1965. Records may also include some Vancouver inquisitions/inquests. The series carries on from GR-1323 and is continued in GR-1504 and GR-1726.

This series consists of registers and indexes to coroners' inquiries and inquests, 1874-1937. In the registers (1889-1937), names are listed chronologically by year. In the indexes (1879-1937), names are arranged alphabetically by year.

Coroners' inquiries and inquests that are registered and indexed in this accession are held in GR-1327 and GR-1323.

Series consists of indexes from 1959-1963 for coroners' inquiries and inquests found within GR-1502, GR-1503, GR-1504, and GR-1726. Inquiries are typically conducted by a single coroner and usually consist of a single form. Inquests (or inquisitions) are investigations in which a coroner's jury rules on the cause of death.

Series consists of indexes from 1954-1958 for coroners' inquiries and inquests found within GR-1502, GR-1503, GR-1504, and GR-1726. Inquiries are typically conducted by a single coroner and usually consist of a single form. Inquests (or inquisitions) are investigations in which a coroner's jury rules on the cause of death.

Series consists of indexes from 1945-1949 for coroners' inquiries and inquests found within GR-1502, GR-1503, and GR-1504. Inquiries are typically conducted by a single coroner and usually consist of a single form. Inquests (or inquisitions) are investigations in which a coroner's jury rules on the cause of death.

Series consists of indexes from 1938-1944 for coroners' inquiries and inquests found within GR-1502, GR-1503, and GR-1504. Inquiries are typically conducted by a single coroner and usually consist of a single form. Inquests (or inquisitions) are investigations in which a coroner's jury rules on the cause of death.

Series consists of indexes from 1967-1970 for coroners' inquiries and inquests found within GR-1502, GR-1504, and GR-1726. Inquiries are typically conducted by a single coroner and usually consist of a single form. Inquests (or inquisitions) are investigations in which a coroner's jury rules on the cause of death.

Series consists of indexes from 1964-1966 for coroners' inquiries and inquests found within GR-1502, GR-1503, GR-1504, and GR-1726. Inquiries are typically conducted by a single coroner and usually consist of a single form. Inquests (or inquisitions) are investigations in which a coroner's jury rules on the cause of death.

Series consists of indexes from 1950-1953 for coroners' inquiries and inquests found within GR-1502, GR-1503, and GR-1504. Inquiries are typically conducted by a single coroner and usually consist of a single form. Inquests (or inquisitions) are investigations in which a coroner's jury rules on the cause of death.

The series consists of inward and outward Attorney-General’s Department correspondence created between 1926 and 1970, predominantly between 1956-1965. Records relate to a variety of matters for which the Attorney-General was responsible, including some ca.1955-1965 coroners' reports (within AG file code C-81-4).

Records are arranged by act and then by file code as assigned by the Attorney-General. File codes represent an act and specific subject matters under the act. Within the files, records are arranged chronologically. Original textual records were destroyed after microfilming. The records were scheduled for full retention.

Series consists of selected 1958-1979 Crown Counsel criminal prosecution case files. Records pertain to complex, often high-profile, investigations of criminal cases. Records may include public, legal, and inter-governmental correspondence; certificate of sentence forms; interview transcripts; transcripts of proceedings; witness statements; provincial and federal court records; RCMP reports; Order in Council review board recommendations, including medical records; crime reports, and some interfiled photographs.

The records were scheduled for selective retention.

Series consists of two volumes of British Columbia notary public commissions for Mar 1903 to Feb 1906. Entries are chronological and include: date, Order in Council number, issued to, date gazetted, and date sent out.

The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS schedule 100152.

Series consists of one November 1902-April 1905 receipt book for the Department of the Attorney-General.

The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS schedule 100152.

Series consists of two bound indexes to unknown Department of the Attorney-General records. Volume 1 of the series is titled on its outer, front cover: “Index Vol. 3”. Volume 2 of the series is titled on its outer, front cover: “Index to Volume 9 1891-1892". Entries in both volumes include only last names of parties and a folio number for unknown related records. Volumes appear to have been created within the same time period.

The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS schedule 100152.

The series consists of Orders in Council (OIC) created between 1872 and 2009, arranged numerically by year and then by OIC number. The series also includes some maps and text attachments which were transferred in 1974 from the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary. An Order in Council is a directive issued by the Lieutenant Governor on the advice of Cabinet authorizing certain actions, including creating simple legislation and granting political appointments.

Containers 941119-0002, 941119-0004, and 941119-0006 contain proclamations. These ledgers include a copy of the Order in Council relating to the proclamation and a copy of the proclamation. Each book contains an index listing both the OIC number and the subject of the proclamation.

This series contains selected inward Department of the Attorney-General correspondence from 1872 to 1950, although most of the items date from 1872 to 1937. Records cover all aspects of work conducted by the Attorney General and discuss a wide variety of subject matter.

GR-0429 contains most of the extant inward correspondence for the Department between 1872 and 1911. A separate accession, GR-0996, also contains inward correspondence from 1883-1888. The bulk of inward correspondence from 1911-1937 may be found in GR-1323. There is no contemporary index for letters inward prior to 1911.

Although the items of correspondence from 1872 to 1911 were assigned numbers sequentially, the original order was not always maintained while the records were in the Attorney-General's Department. This means that the items are no longer in strict numerical order within a year, and items relating to a single topic may sometimes be found together, regardless of the date when they were first received.

Unfortunately, almost all of the Department’s letterbooks for 1872-1917 were destroyed by fire in 1939. Some correspondence was also destroyed by flooding. As a result it is not possible to locate departmental replies to most of the correspondence in GR-0429.

Most of the inquests from this series were extracted and may now be found in GR-1327, although the covering correspondence may remain in GR-0429. Similarly, depositions and preliminary trial transcripts were separated and may be found in GR-0419.

Oversize original items remain in their original containers and files but were filmed on Reel B09325. See last page for container list.

The department used several numbering and filling systems during this time period. From 1872 to 1911 letters were assigned a number as they were received, and then filed in numerical order by year. From 1911 to 1917 a subject file drawer system was used, and thereafter correspondence was coded and filed according to the Act which applied to the issue under discussion in the correspondence.

See the file list for descriptions of files or individual folios within the files.

The series is arranged into the following subseries:

-- Correspondence inward, 1872-1911
-- Reports on coal miners’ strike, 1912-1913
-- Memos and correspondence, 1899, 1912-1933, 1950
-- Correspondence regarding unemployment administration and communist activity (Attorney General Department file number L-125), 1930-1937