List of Honorary Members
Beverley Gail Nash, British Columbia’s former Registrar of Regulations, officially became the first Honorary Member of VALL in June of 2012.
Gail became the Registrar of Regulations in January 1974 and retired on Feb. 1st after 38 years in the British Columbia Legislative Counsel’s Office. After her retirement, Gail plans to continue with her dedicated service to the public as a talented member of Victoria’s local arts community. She serves as President of the West Shore Art Council’s Board of Directors. She is an instrumentalist with Victoria’s Civic Orchestra, playing oboe and cor anglais, and she has been an alto singer engaged with local vocal ensembles.
When VALL was established in 1989, Gail became our first contact in the Legislative Counsel’s Office and unofficially VALL’s “expert on-call” for any & all complex legislative queries. Gail’s dedication to her work and her professional contribution has been invaluable to the legal community of B.C. and in particular, to our law library community.
Gail is the author of Legislation Made Easy, a guide to the complexities of the various aspects of statutes, regulations and orders. With over 4,000 copies sold, this essential title is now in its 3rd edition. VALL Members will be pleased to know Gail has an ongoing agreement with the Queen’s Printer to continue to publish subsequent editions after her retirement.
Gail was instrumental in helping the Queen’s Printer develop QPLegalEze, which, for over a decade, has provided the most comprehensive online collection of current B.C. Laws available. Throughout the development of QP LegalEze, Gail encouraged the Queen’s Printer to seek out and to consider the suggestions and recommendations of VALL members for the ongoing enhancements. VALL’s contribution was officially recognized by the Queen’s Printer when Gail came to Vancouver to present the launch of QPLegalEze at a special VALL meeting in 2001.
Legislative research is a fundamental part of a law librarian’s work and it is thanks to Gail’s unique expertise and many professional contributions that B.C. now has the most current, comprehensive and reliable print and online provincial legislative resources in Canada. Gail, our first Honorary Member, made current B.C. legislation accessible and legislative research understandable and easier for all of us, and her contribution will continue to assist everyone in British Columbia for years to come.
