THE ADVOCATE 925
VOL. 79 PART 6 NOVEMBER 2021
Carolynn describes the move to Fort St. John as a great move for them.
The community and Crown Counsel office were very welcoming, and they
managed to find room in their new house for the over 1,000 sports jerseys
Oliver had collected over the years! Oliver is a huge sports fan, supporting
all the B.C. teams and of course the Seahawks. He has a jersey from every
favourite team, and they take up most of the room in the family closet.
As a Crown in the Peace Region, Oliver quickly gained a reputation as a
steady, talented prosecutor and a trusted mentor and friend. He supported
other Crown, mentored them kindly and “brought along” several very junior
Crown in a part of the region where it can be very difficult to retain
lawyers and that has a unique set of challenges.
Although he was a stranger to the North when he started there, he
quickly settled in and grew to love it. As he has said on many occasions, the
“city” (Lower Mainland) has a lot to offer, but it also suffers the daily
headaches of heavy traffic, too many people and terrible snow removal. In
the North, you have the same quality of work as a lawyer (crime is crime
after all), but you also have close relationships with those you work with, a
very short commute to the office and good snow removal. The ability to get
to the office without a shattering headache or being stiff from sitting in the
car for an hour was a real attraction to Oliver. The close relationships you
form with others in the small office and courthouses where you work was
an added bonus that he loved.
Oliver also represented the North for many years on the board of directors
of the British Columbia Law Institute and as a member of Provincial
Council and the National Council of the CBA. He volunteered many hours
of his free time to these positions.
Oliver became a Deputy Regional Crown Counsel in 2017. Oliver led quietly
and with the person involved in his decision in mind. He made all decisions
by trying to know all of the facts and also trying to understand the
behaviours of the person that would be impacted by his decision and what
the result of his decision would be. He made decisions with compassion and
a strong sense of community interest and public safety.
Oliver was a very supportive colleague. He listened carefully, discussed
quietly and respectfully, and was a strong teammate. Differences of opinion
were quickly forgotten and a useful discussion was held when Oliver was in
the room.
Oliver has been on the Provincial Court bench for a year, sitting in the
Peace Region. He has brought to the bench his steadying approach to the
courtroom. He is kind to the very young, thoughtful in his decision making
and stern with those experienced enough to deserve it.