VANCOUVER – Former Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, the Honourable Steven Point, OBC, has joined the Board of Directors of the Vancouver International Arbitration Centre (VanIAC).
“Steven Point is committed to helping people find justice in a timely fashion,” said Barry Penner, QC, Managing Director of VanIAC. He first met Mr. Point when they were representing disadvantaged people in the Fraser Valley early in their careers, and later served as Attorney General when Mr. Point was Lieutenant Governor. “We’re delighted to have Mr. Point bring his passion and understanding of indigenous communities to our organization.”
Mr. Point, a member and former Chief of the Skowkale First Nation and Grand Chief of the Stó:lō Nation, served as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 2007 to 2012. He has also been Chief Commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission and was a Provincial Court Judge until October, 2018. Mr. Point is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, the Order of B.C, the Joseph H. Cohen Award from the Justice Institute of British Columbia Foundation, a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the Order of Chilliwack, and holds honourary Doctorate of Laws degrees from the University of the Fraser Valley and Capilano University. In 2020, Mr. Point was appointed Chancellor of the University of British Columbia.
“I’m looking forward to spreading the word about faster alternatives for resolving disputes,” said Mr. Point. “Going to Court can be a time consuming, incredibly stressful and financially draining experience. The Vancouver International Arbitration Centre has a roster of highly-skilled mediators and arbitrators with experience in a wide range of areas. My goal is to help increase awareness of the option to resolve disputes in a confidential and less adversarial manner.”
Mr. Point officially joined the board of directors of VanIAC during its annual general meeting late last month. At the same time, Mr. Joe McArthur, FCIArb., a lawyer who practices domestic and international arbitration and is a partner with Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, was elected Board Chair.
Mediation and arbitration proceedings offer the flexibility to accommodate social distancing measures. Hearings can and have been conducted by teleconference, videoconference or in writing. Despite COVID-19, VanIAC had its busiest year ever in 2020 and was able to remain in full operation.
Established in 1986 with the support of the Federal and Provincial Governments, and formerly known as the BC International Commercial Arbitration Centre, VanIAC is committed to providing trusted and efficient dispute resolution services.
Those who are interested in submitting disputes to mediation or arbitration, or who have further questions, can visit www.vaniac.org or contact VanIAC at resolve@vaniac.org or 604-284-2821.
