According to a report in Victoria and Vancouver Island newspaper the Times Colonist, Lesslie Askin had filed a petition in the BC Supreme Court, arguing that attorney general Shirley Bond was unfit to serve in her position as she was not a practising member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Ms Askin turned to the court after failing in a complaint to the Law Society, as the society told her that no laws prohibit non-lawyers from serving as attorney general. The society also said it did not have jurisdiction to investigate the complaint further.

Judge Sunni Stromberg-Stein wrote in her decision: ‘The relevant statutory provisions ... do not require the attorney general to be a practising member of the Law Society. The petitioner has obviously put a lot of time and effort into her submissions to this court on a topic she is obviously passionate about. However, in my view, her petition is devoid of merit.’

Ms Bond was appointed acting attorney general last year after the resignation of Barry Penner. At the time, she was already solicitor general. In February, she was named justice minister and confirmed as attorney general.

Ms Askin sent a letter to the Law Society in January, arguing that because Ms Bond wasn't a lawyer, she was violating rules that say only practising members of the society are allowed to practise law.

The Law Society asked outside counsel to review the matter. A month later, the society told Ms Askin that no laws prohibit non-lawyers from serving as attorney general.