Barry Penner has resigned as attorney general for the province, and announced he will not run in the next election.
After telling Premier Christy Clark of his decision on Aug. 18, Penner said the family time he had spent this summer convinced him it is time for a change after 15 years as a politician.
Penner added he wanted more time to spend with his wife and a six-month-old daughter and noted his planned vacation didn’t pan out because government duties got in the way.
These included a gangland shooting in Kelowna, Stanley Cup riots in Vancouver and courtroom backlogs throughout the province. His last official meeting as attorney general was on the ongoing investigation of polygamous relationships in the Kootenay village of Bountiful.
Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett says she will “sincerely miss” working with Penner.
“It is a sad day for British Columbia, I can honestly say. He’s regarded with the highest esteem I could ever give a politician.”
While Penner was fond of his previous work as environment minister, Barnett adds she doesn’t think his later shift to the attorney general ministry was a factor in his decision.
“His honesty, his passion and his integrity for his job is second to none that I have ever seen.”
Because Penner is a lawyer, the attorney general position was a “great fit” for him, Barnett said Aug. 19.
She added Penner was also minister of aboriginal affairs before he became attorney-general.
“He’s 45 [years old], he’s got a beautiful, adorable six-month-old girl, and [Penner] is one of these fathers that every time you see him he’s on his Blackberry saying, ‘Look at what she’s doing today’.
“I believe he wants to spend some time and enjoyment with his family. Babies grow up too quickly.”
Speaking to reporters as he packed personal items in the attorney-general’s office at the B.C. legislature, Penner said he will miss the challenging job.
Penner added he won’t miss the two Blackberrys with a constant stream of messages and “a phone that never stops ringing.”
Penner said he received papers from the party a few weeks ago, asking him to name his campaign team for the next election, which prompted him to take action.
While the Chilliwack MLA was treated for cancer in 2007, he said that was not a factor in his decision, and noted he has a clean bill of health.
An MLA since 1996, Penner’s previous cabinet posts include appointments as environment minister in 2005 and then serving briefly as aboriginal relations minister before he became B.C.’s attorney general last December.
When Penner called the premier to resign on Aug. 18, Clark named Shirley Bond as attorney general on an interim basis the same day, and she will continue to be the minister of public safety and solicitor general.
With files from Tom Fletcher
