DALLAS SMITH

Entertainer/Philanthropist/Entrepreneur

REBECCA DARNELL

Lawyer/Owner

Before she attended law school, Rebecca honed her professional skills by first working in banking, as a court recorder/transcriber for the Provincial Court of BC (criminal division) and as a freelance paralegal at several law firms. This exposed her to a wide variety of practice areas including complex commercial litigation, corporate, commercial, family law, personal injury, estate and real estate transactions.

Rebecca then attended the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law, graduating in 1994. She articled with the Attorney General, Legal Services Branch in Victoria, which provided a unique opportunity for her to work with the Legislative Council Branch where she observed and assisted in drafting both new and amended legislation. Rebecca was called to the British Columbia bar in 1995.

Immediately following that, she set out to chart her own course. Recognizing a need for experienced family lawyers in the Fraser Valley community, Rebecca opened her own law firm and was able to draw upon her extensive background and training. Initially the sole practitioner at the firm, she carved out her place in the community and in the challenging practice of family law. Under her guidance and dedication, the firm expanded significantly to include both solicitor and barrister work.

In addition to her general practice, Rebecca is certified by the Law Society of British Columbia to practice as a Family Mediator and Arbitrator. Her practice is currently focused on alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration as well as the administrative duties of DLG Darnell Law Group, which is now comprised of four lawyers, two articled students and six paralegals/assistants.

Rebecca is a passionate supporter and active member of the Fraser Valley community. Her work in family law has shown her how women are often trapped in unhealthy or abusive relationships because they lack the economic means to leave. She recently joined an organization called WOO (Women of Options), which raises funds to support affordable housing for women in the Surrey community. She is also president of the board of Lifted, a charitable organization set up by Canadian country singer and CCMA winner, Dallas Smith, to raise money for youth mental health.

As a strong voice and advocate for other worthwhile causes, Rebecca is an active supporter of Langley Community Services Society and the Langley Hospital Foundation. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia, the Canadian Museum of Flight and the Motor Vehicle Sales Authority of British Columbia.

Rebecca resides in Langley with her two Maltese cross dogs, Charlie and Lizzie. In her spare time, she hits the links at the Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam. Rebecca mentored a number of young men while they played Junior A hockey in Langley and she continues to stay in touch with them. She is enormously proud of all of them as they have gone on to become successful businessmen, doctors, lawyers, firefighters and police officers.

 Professional Associations

Canadian Bar Association Women Lawyers Forum
Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund (Life Member)
Law Society of British Columbia
Canadian Bar Association
Langley Chamber of Commerce
Fraser Valley Bar Association (Past President)
Fraser Valley Estate Planning Council

 Education

University of British Columbia – Faculty of Law
Capilano College University – Legal Studies (Paralegal)

 Professional History

Darnell & Company Lawyers & Mediators
Lawyers & Mediators
Ministry of Attorney General (Government of BC)
University of British Columbia
Barrister & Solicitor Principal
Articled Student

MR. BLAIR L QUALEY

President & CEO, New Car Dealers Association of BC

Blair Qualey has served for over 11 years as the President and CEO of the

New Car Dealers Association of BC (NCDA), which represents more than 390 New Car Dealers throughout the province. BC’s New Car Dealers generate over $16 Billion in economic activity, pump $1.8 Billion net GDP directly into BC’s economy, and provide more than 30,000 family supporting jobs in over 55 communities. The Association speaks on behalf of British Columbia's new car industry to the public, media, and government,

and deals with the legal, environmental, and consumer issues relating primarily to new vehicle sales in British Columbia. The Association owns and operates the annual Vancouver International Auto Show, the best attended consumer show in Western Canada, and administers the Clean Energy Vehicle Point of Sale Incentive Program (CEVforBC) for the

Province of BC. The CEVforBC program has made available some $120 million in incentives for the customers of dealer members of the NCDA. 

Blair is a regular columnist in The Vancouver Sun, The Province, The Prince George Citizen, Canadian Auto Dealer magazine and various community newspapers along with BC industry publication, SIGNALS.

Blair is a seasoned executive with extensive private, public and not-for-profit sector experience with senior responsibility for strategic planning, operations, business development, communications, event production, public affairs, marketing, media and government relations and HR management. Prior to joining the New Car Dealers, Blair served as Director of Business Development for The Vancouver Board of Trade (VBOT), Executive Director of Spirit of Vancouver® and Executive Director, World Trade Centre Vancouver. During his last few years at the VBOT, Blair worked closely with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Bid Committee on pre-bid events and then with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Committee (VANOC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the development and execution of dozens of official Olympic events under the Spirit of Vancouver® brand at the VBOT. Blair also served as Vice President of Client Relations for Century Communications Corporation, a boutique public affairs and investor relations firm, as well as has holding senior Human Resources and Labour Relations Management positions with Coca-Cola Bottling and the Loblaw Group of Companies (including Kelly Douglas and Westfair Foods) in BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Blair has served on the Boards of several not for profit societies and public institutions. He currently serves as Chair of the BC Scrap-It® Program and has served as a Chair and as a Governor of Emily Carr University. He also served as Vice-Chair of the Automotive Training Standards Organization, Chair of the Vancouver Public Library Board and President and Director of the British Columbia Library Trustees Association.

Blair has served on the Boards of the Vancouver Public Library Foundation, BC Sports Hall of Fame, Canada Japan Society, Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival and Kids Up Front Foundation. Blair holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of British Columbia and is a member of the Canadian Society of Association Executives.

DON SMITH

Born and raised in Vancouver BC, British Columbia Institute of Technology grad in Civil/Structural Engineering, Don retired in 2012 from Fortis BC as Manager of Information Technology. He now resides, with his wife of 48 years, in Langley BC. Proud father of a son and daughter, and 5 wonderful grandchildren, music has always been a part of his family life.

 PHIL JACKMAN

Phil Jackman has called Langley since 1988 along with wife Barb and 2 sons Chris & Travis

Named The George Preston Memorial Business Person of the Year in 2016 and The HD Stafford GOOD Citizen of the Year award in 2018

Phil owns and operates several businesses in Langley and supports numerous charitable events and causes throughout the year