Van Dongen is in the midst of a provincial election campaign and is still seeking re-election.

On April 24th, van Dongen issued a statement admitting he'd received a letter from the provincial Office of the Superintendent of Motor vehicles notifying him that the license was suspended - an office that fell within his responsibilities as solicitor general.

Responsibility for the motor vehicles branch and for the Crown Insurance Corporation of B.C. were immediately transferred to the Labour Ministry.

But on April 27th van Dongen said he reflected over the weekend and decided to step down from his cabinet post.

He said he will work hard to earn the confidence of voters in the Abbotsford South riding where he is running.

It is the second solicitor general Liberal Premier Gordon Campbell has lost to controversy in just over a year.

Van Dongen's predecessor, John Les, stepped down last year after it was revealed that he was he was subject to a police investigation into land deals during his tenure as Chilliwack mayor in the 1990s.

The allegations involve removal of tracts of land from the Agricultural Land Commission.

Les, who says he expects to be completely cleared once the investigation is done, is seeking re-election in the Chilliwack riding.

British Columbians go to the polls May 12th.