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The recent controversy involving SNC-Lavalin has focused a great deal of attention on the dual role of the minister of justice and the attorney general of Canada.

The justice minister works with fellow cabinet ministers in achieving the government's priorities.

The attorney general, on the other hand, generally stands apart as the overseer of the legal system and as the chief legal adviser to the government.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed a former deputy premier, Anne McLellan, to review if there are any conflicts between these roles and, if so, how to address them.

But we haven't seen a similar discussion in B.C., where the attorney general, David Eby, also operates as a quasi revenue minister for the government alongside Finance Minister Carole James.

That's because Eby is the minister overseeing the B.C. Lottery Corporation, Liquor Distribution Branch, and ICBC—all of which can fatten the government's bottom line if they're properly run.

It's worth noting that Eby's most recent mandate letter to the B.C. Lottery Corporation board instructs directors to optimize the financial performance.

This must be "in accordance with government policy and directives under the Gaming Control Act and Treasury Board direction in order to achieve a net income in line with service plan projections".

This net income is projected to increase from a target of $1.41 billion this fiscal year to $1.43 billion in 2020–21 and $1.44 billion in 2021–22.

Eby wrote a similar mandate letter to Blain Lawson, general manager and CEO of the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch.

It calls upon Lawson to optimize the LDB's financial performance and sustain net returns to the province "in accordance with government policy, Treasury Board directives and the appropriate legislation and regulation".

The LDB's service plan aims to generate net income of $1.12 billion in 2019–20, followed by $1.16 billion and $1.2 billion in the subsequent two years.

This means Eby has to carry the can in cabinet if these organizations fall short of their stated objective of delivering more than a $2.5-billion windfall to the government this year.

As the minister responsible for ICBC, Eby also wrote a mandate letter to the board of directors of ICBC.

It instructs directors to work with government officials to "consider and review the rationalization of the corporation's operational real estate portfolio" by December, "setting out the review findings and recommendations".

This holds out the prospect of generating more revenue for the government, particularly if ICBC sells some of its properties.

It's fine for Eby to be a revenue minister. And it's fine for Eby to be an attorney general, given his legal training.

But some might wonder if it's okay for Eby to be a revenue minister and an attorney general at the same time, given the sensitivities associated with being the province's chief legal adviser and the ultimate overseer of criminal justice.

Unlike at the federal level, B.C. legislation allows for appointment of special prosecutors in politically sensitive cases. That provides a measure of separation between the attorney general and cases that could be linked to his political future.

B.C. also has a transparent charge-approval process guiding the B.C. Prosecution Service, which answers to an assistant deputy attorney general, Peter Juk, and not to Eby.

But still, there is potential for some lousy optics if the attorney general is also a revenue minister, particularly if the executives of these revenue-generating bodies are ever found to be involved in questionable activities.

That's because at end of the day, the attorney general can fire his assistant deputy attorney general in charge of the B.C. Prosecution Service—a fact that's likely not lost on Peter Juk.

At the very least, the B.C. government should consider conducting an independent review of the role of the attorney general, just as the prime minister has done.

And if such a review concludes that it's unwise for the attorney general to be a revenue minister, someone else should be put in charge of ICBC, the B.C. Lottery Corporation, and the Liquor Distribution Branch.

Or, conversely, if Premier John Horgan thinks that Eby is a great revenue minister, then someone else could be found to serve as attorney general.

It's not that complicated.