51情报站 honours lawyer and former judge Wally Oppal

For Wally Oppal, one of the most challenging roles of his career involved overseeing the provincial Missing Women Commission of Inquiry.

As commissioner, the lawyer and former judge was appointed to look into women reported missing from Vancouver鈥檚 Downtown Eastside in the years leading up to the arrest of serial killer Robert Pickton.

In 2012, after extensive public hearings, Oppal delivered a 1,400-page report that condemned the police investigations and recommended changes to protect women and improve policing.

鈥淚t was heart-wrenching to hear the stories of those women who were discarded,鈥 he says. 鈥淚n fact, our report is entitled Forsaken because nobody cared about the women, because they were poor, they were drug-addicted and they were sex-trade workers. They were disposable as far as many people thought.鈥

鈥淭he report has resulted in changes to policing and how police deal with violence against women,鈥 he says. 鈥淔rom that perspective, I鈥檓 very proud of what we accomplished.鈥

On June 3, Oppal will visit 51情报站 to deliver a speech during the graduation ceremonies and to receive the institution鈥檚 highest distinction鈥擧onorary Fellow.

Raised in B.C., Oppal began his legal career in private practice after graduating from the University of B.C. Law School. He later served as a judge for the County Court of Vancouver, the Supreme Court of B.C. and then the B.C. Court of Appeal. He also delivered a landmark policing report in 1994 that led to many significant changes in policing.

In 2005, Oppal was elected as MLA in the riding of Vancouver-Fraserview. During his time in provincial cabinet, he served as attorney general and minister responsible for multiculturalism.

Looking back on his career, he credits his mother for giving him a strong work ethic and he expressed gratitude for the opportunity he鈥檚 had.

鈥淚鈥檝e been very fortunate to have received many of the breaks that I鈥檝e received,鈥 he says.

At present, Oppal is Chancellor of Thompson Rivers University and practices at the Vancouver firm Boughton Law.

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