Jim Matkin

Originally from Alberta,[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1988/09/canada-from-struggling-seed-the-church-has-risen-to-branching-maple?lang=eng Richard E. Bennett, "Canada: From Struggling Seed, the Church Has Risen to Branching Maple"], Ensign, Sept. 1988, p.30 He obtained his bachelor's and master's (law) degrees from University of Alberta and a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyOfficers?symbol=HYDP.PK&WTmodLOC=C4-Officers-5|title=People: Hydrogen Power Inc (HYDP.PK) accessed 3 April 2011|website=Reuters}}[http://www.canadianjusticereviewboard.ca/article-Jim%20Matkin.htm David Baines, "The former executive director who quit Dec. 6 will receive a total of $291,700"]{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125234212/http://www.canadianjusticereviewboard.ca/article-Jim%20Matkin.htm |date=2011-01-25 }} , Vancouver Sun, 6 Jan 2005, accessed 3 April 2011 and became a law clerk in 1970 to Supreme Court of Canada Justice, Ronald Martland and an assistant professor

of law at the University of British Columbia.[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1988/09/a-dominion-of-saints?lang=eng Lane Johnson, "A Dominion of Saints"], Ensign, Sept. 1988, p.38

While a University of British Columbia law faculty member, he was invited to be part of a government-appointed Committee of Special Advisors assembled to draft legislation which became the Labour Code of British Columbia Act of 1973.[https://web.archive.org/web/20180415002504/http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/bcstudies/article/download/1138/1182 Alan R.F.J. Artibise, '"A Worthy, if Unlikely Enterprise:" The Labour Relations Board and the Evolution of Labour Policy and Practice in British Columbia, 1973-1980'], BC Studies, Number 56, Winter 1982-3, pp.9-10

At age 30, he became deputy minister of labor in British Columbia. He was then the youngest deputy minister in the history of BC.[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1988/09/a-dominion-of-saints?lang=eng Lane Johnson, "A Dominion of Saints"], Ensign, Sept. 1988, p.38 From 1981 he was Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Relations.[https://web.archive.org/web/20180415002504/http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/bcstudies/article/download/1138/1182 Alan R.F.J. Artibise, '"A Worthy, if Unlikely Enterprise:" The Labour Relations Board and the Evolution of Labour Policy and Practice in British Columbia, 1973-1980'], BC Studies, Number 56, Winter 1982-3, p.10, Footnote He left the bureaucracy July 1, 1983, with the congratulations of Honorable Garde Gardom: " Mr. Matkin has performed long and in a most dedicated fashion, under two different administrations, always in the interests of the general public of our province. He's been a dedicated public servant."

Matkin's associate, Paul C. Weiler, a former BC Labour Relations Board head, had written a McGill Law Journal paper that recommended a Non Obstante Clause be inserted[http://www.lancasterhouse.com/conferences/toronto/lb/paul_weiler2005.asp Paul Weiler, "Acceptance speech of the Bora Laskin Award..."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928114044/http://www.lancasterhouse.com/conferences/toronto/lb/paul_weiler2005.asp |date=2011-09-28 }}, Lancaster House Labour Law On-line (website), May 5, 2005, accessed 2 April 2011 in the Canadian constitution. This would allow a Canadian province to "opt out" of portions of the new constitution. Matkin's staff altered a "no author text" to include this concept.Bob Plecas, Bill Bennett - A Mandarin's View, pp. 160-1 The "no author text" (or a document with no author named) was circulated at a constitutional conference attended by Canadian first ministers and their staff. This clause bears close resemblance to the Notwithstanding clause that ultimately became an ingredient in the Kitchen Accord among most Canadian provinces and the federal government of Canada.

"From 1983-93, he served as President and CEO of the B.C. Business Council...."[http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/publications_forms/bulletin/1990-99/97-10.html Law Society of British Columbia, ["Matkin Joins Law Society as new Secretary"]], Benchers' Bulletin, 1997; No.5 September - October. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217161601/http://lawsociety.bc.ca/publications_forms/bulletin/1990-99/97-10.html |date=2010-12-17 }}. He was also a director of the Bank of Canada, serving from 1992 to 1995. In 1996, Matkin was chosen to head a commission to oversee the reduction in size of the British Columbia fishing fleet.{{Cite web|url=https://sencanada.ca/en/in-the-chamber/debates/|title=Senate of Canada - Debates|first=Senate of|last=Canada|date=July 22, 2016|website=Senate of Canada}}

Matkin was a committee of one who investigated and in 2004 "denounced" the Vancouver Stock Exchange "as a breeding ground for swindles and laid the blame at the feet of the B.C. Securities Commission".

"...[H]is report served as an official wake-up call. The exchange began blackballing miscreant promoters, then merged with the Alberta Stock Exchange to form the Canadian Venture Exchange, and was later acquired by the more respectable Toronto Stock Exchange, resulting in the TSX Venture Exchange."{{Cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/business/business+significant+people+enterprises+events/4544933/story.html|title=Derrick Penner, "Our business: 10 significant people, enterprises or events - 4) VANCOUVER STOCK EXCHANGE", Vancouver Sun, April 1, 2011|accessdate=29 November 2023}}

He was the executive director of the BC Law Society from 1998 to 2004.[http://www.bcbusinessonline.ca/bcb/top-stories/2009/10/01/trials-and-tribulations David Baines, "Trials and Tribulations of the BC Law Society"]{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121121214039/http://www.bcbusinessonline.ca/bcb/top-stories/2009/10/01/trials-and-tribulations |date=2012-11-21 }} , Saturday, Apr. 2, 2011, accessed 2 April 2011

On December 6, 2004, Matkin resigned. This came in response to concerns raised at the society that he had become involved with a junior company with two alleged stock offenders. "Matkin denied any improper conduct. He argued that [alleged offenders] Gujral and Alexander had learned from their mistakes and deserved a second chance. He also said he sought and obtained assurances that Alexander would not promote the company's shares, only the technology."[http://www.canadianjusticereviewboard.ca/article-Jim%20Matkin.htm David Baines, "The former executive director who quit Dec. 6 will receive a total of $291,700"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125234212/http://www.canadianjusticereviewboard.ca/article-Jim%20Matkin.htm |date=2011-01-25 }} , Vancouver Sun, 6 Jan 2005, accessed 3 April 2011 "There has never been any suggestion that Matkin did anything illegal. The issue is simply whether it was appropriate for him to be dealing with a company associated with Gujral and Alexander."

The then-president of the Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia branch, expressed regret that an enquiry did not occur due to Matkin's resignation. "I dare say it would have assisted all to know whether the Executive Director, given the leadership role inherent in this position, is expected to meet an elevated ethical standard, and if so, what that standard entails .... [T]his [resignation] represents the loss of an important opportunity for the Benchers to articulate, for the profession generally and for the previous and next incumbent, the standards expected of the individual appointed to this key position in the organization."[http://www.cba.org/bc/bartalk_01_05/02_05/president.aspx Michael C. Woodward, "From the President - Going Forward"]{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424014531/http://www.cba.org/BC/bartalk_01_05/02_05/president.aspx |date=2013-04-24 }}, Bartalk, Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia Branch, February 2005

The BC Law Society dismissed a complaint of impropriety filed December 31, 2004, by a lawyer.[http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/page.cfm?cid=1782&t=Law-Society-concludes-investigation-of-complaint-against-James-G.-Matkin "Law Society concludes investigation of complaint against James G. Matkin"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110323015110/http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/page.cfm?cid=1782&t=Law-Society-concludes-investigation-of-complaint-against-James-G.-Matkin |date=2011-03-23 }}, Press Release, April 21, 2005, accessed 2 April 2011

Matkin's legacy includes the BC Labour Relations board and legislation, changes to the Vancouver Stock Exchange,{{Cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/business/business+significant+people+enterprises+events/4544933/story.html#ixzz1IVtkbUMZ|title=Derrick Penner, "Our business: 10 significant people, enterprises or events - 4) VANCOUVER STOCK EXCHANGE" Vancouver Sun, April 1, 2011|accessdate=29 November 2023}} and the first human rights code in BC.

In later life, Matkin has turned to producing self-published opinion pieces on climatology via Academia.edu, articulating his position of climate change denial, his belief in the Global warming conspiracy theory,Matkin, J. G. "Trump Climate Panel Could Expose Huge Fraud, Hence the Hysteria. Is global warming a hoax?" and criticizing political and economic reforms aimed at avoiding or mitigating anthropogenic climate change, which he attributes to the political left.[https://harvard.academia.edu/JamesMatkin James Matkin] harvard.academia.edu These articles consist mainly of articles written by other climate change deniers and republished with additional commentary by Matkin.e.g., Matkin, J. G., ""Hubris: The Troubling Science, Economics, and Politics of Climate Change," by Michael Hart, Chapter One here - interview by Margaret Wente of Globe and Mail, my comment."

• James G. Matkin "Why the Notwithstanding Clause Saved the Charter"Litigating the Values of a Nation: The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Weiler and Elliot, Carsell 1986/
• James G. Matkin, Principled Bargaining (Softcover, Industrial Relations Centre, Queen's University at Kingston), {{ISBN|0888861281}} (0-88886-128-1)Bookfinder
• James G. Matkin, D. Geoffrey Cowper, Restructuring for the Future: Towards a Fairer Venture Market the Report of the Vancouver Stock Exchange & Securities Regulation Commission[http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/pubdocs/bcdocs/147335/interimreportvse.pdf Interim report] llbc.leg.bc.ca
• James G. Matkin, "Government Intervention in Labour Disputes in British Columbia." (1975){{Cite web|url=https://www.leg.bc.ca/documents-data/debate-transcript?TermStoreId=f521b6c0-e6c1-466c-944a-97821d4f74fb&TermSetId=9f16e9ee-3dfd-4a20-9566-040d3f546e57&TermId=cee0d03e-6f21-4dc3-bbc1-fcf720e98545&UrlSuffix=34p_01s_870422p|title=Transcript|website=www.leg.bc.ca|accessdate=29 November 2023}}
• James G. Matkin, Clive Cocking, "A weak federal government getting weaker"{{Cite web|url=http://www.ipolitics.ca/2013/10/17/a-weak-federal-government-getting-weaker|title=A weak federal government, getting weaker|date=18 October 2013}}
• James G. Matkin,"The Future of Industrial Relations in Canada."Canadian Public Policy / Analyse de Politique Vol. 12, Feb., 1986
• James Matkin, Book Review, "The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam From the Extremists," by Abou El Fadl{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/61479/l-carl-brown/the-great-theft-wrestling-islam-from-the-extremists|title = The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists|date = 28 January 2009|website=foreignaffairs.com}}

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