Areas of Expertise

• Administrative and
  constitutional law
• Human rights
• Information and privacy
• Self-governing professions

BAR MEMBERSHIP

• British Columbia, 1989

EDUCATION

• LL.B., University of Victoria

ANGELA R. WESTMACOTT, Q.C.

Angela began her legal career in 1988 with the Ministry of Attorney General where she practiced in both the Civil Litigation and Constitutional and Administrative Law sections of Legal Services Branch. In 2013, Angela was appointed Queen's Counsel.

Angela practices in the areas of administrative, constitutional, human rights and freedom of information and protection of privacy law. She advises and represents a broad range of public sector clients providing both regulatory advice and representation in litigation. Angela is general counsel for many colleges of self-governing professions and various administrative tribunals.

Angela has appeared at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. She has extensive judicial review and appellate experience and has prosecuted many cases before discipline panels of self-governing professions.

Angela was involved in the BC Attorney General's Administrative Justice Project and co-authored (with Debbie) the Human Rights Review - A Background Paper. She is a frequent speaker at conferences on administrative law and self-governing professions and has conducted extensive training for governments, administrative tribunals and colleges. In 2011 and 2013, Angela co-facilitated conferences on professional self-regulation. In 2014 and 2017, Angela co-chaired the CLE courses on professional self-regulation.

Angela is currently a member of the Law Society Law Firm Regulation Task Force and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia Discipline Committee. Past appointments include vice-chair of the Safety Standards Appeal Board, member of the Law Society Unauthorized Practice Committee, member of the Law Society Credentials Committee, and member designate of the B.C. Human Rights Council.

Angela also works as a neutral, providing investigation services to regulators and other public sector clients, primarily in the area of workplace disputes and discrimination and harassment complaints.

SELECTED COUNSEL WORK

Administrative and constitutional law:

• British Columbia (Attorney General) v. Lee, 2017 BCCA 219 (C.A.)
• Foo v. Law Society of British Columbia, 2017 BCCA 151 (C.A.)
• Scott v. College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia, 2016 BCCA 180 (C.A.)
• Sobeys West Inc. and Jace Holdings Ltd. v. College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, 2016 BCCA 41 (C.A.)
• Sutherland v. British Columbia (Superintendent of Motor Vehicles), 2018 BCCA 65 (C.A.)
• Law Society of British Columbia v. Carten, 2017 BCSC 1044
• Sanders v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, 2018 BCSC 441
• South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority v. Makhdoom, 2016 BCSC 2274
• Lee v. B.C. (Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal), 2013 B.C.J. No. 575 (S.C.)
• Ramsden v. Peterborough (City), [1993] 2 S.C.R. 1084
• Omineca Enterprises Ltd. v. B.C. (Minister of Forests), (1993), 85 B.C.L.R. (2d) 85 (C.A.), leave to appeal to S.C.C. dismissed 91 B.C.L.R. (2d) xxxvi
• Mazzei v. Adult Forensic Psychiatric Services and B.C. (Attorney General), 2006 SCC 7
• Bryan's Transfer Ltd. v. Trail (City), [2010] B.C.J. No. 531 (C.A.)
• Cariboo-Chilcotin Conservation Council v. British Columbia (Chief Forester), [1996] B.C.J. No. 3184 (S.C.)
• Registrar of Mortgage Brokers v. Financial Services Tribunal, 2007 BCSC 1118

Human rights:

• Insurance Corporation of British Columbia v. Yuan, 2009 BCCA 279
• Berscheid v. Westbank Indian Band and Attorney General of British Columbia, [1999] B.C.J. No. 505 (S.C.)
• Collins v. Abrams, British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal and Attorney General of British Columbia, [1999] B.C.J. No. 2859 (S.C.)

Information and Privacy:

• British Columbia (Attorney General) v. British Columbia (Information and Privacy Commissioner), 2011 BCSC 112
• Simon Fraser University v. British Columbia (Information and Privacy Commissioner), [2009] B.C.J. No. 2145 (S.C.)
• Sochowski v. British Columbia (Information and Privacy Commissioner), 2008 BCSC 1390
• Canadian Pacific Railway v. British Columbia (Information and Privacy Commissioner), [2002] B.C.J. No. 848

Environmental:

• Cattermole Timber v. Ministry of Forests, [1995] B.C.J. No. 306 (C.A.)
• Western Canada Wilderness Committee v. British Columbia (Chief Forester), [1998] B.C.J. No. 808 (C.A.)
• British Columbia (Minister of Forests) v. MacMillan Bloedel, [1992] B.C.J. No. 2760 (S.C.)
• Cariboo-Chilcotin Conservation Council v. British Columbia (Chief Forester), [1996] B.C.J. No. 3184 (S.C.)

Land Title and Financial Services Regulation:

• Bryan's Transfer Ltd. v. Trail (City), [2010] B.C.J. No. 531 (C.A.)
• Buchanan v. Financial Services Tribunal, [2007] B.C.J. No. 2630 (S.C.)
• Registrar of Mortgage Brokers v. Financial Services Tribunal, 2007 BCSC 1118