Art Hanger
Encyclopedia
Arthur "Art" Hanger is a Canadian
politician.
Hanger is a former member of the Conservative Party of Canada
in the Canadian House of Commons
, having represented the riding of Calgary Northeast
since 1993 until his retirement in 2008. He has also been a member of the Reform Party of Canada
(1993-2000), and the Canadian Alliance
(2000-2003). Hanger is a former police officer.
and had booked a trip to Singapore
to investigate their use of caning
in deterring crime. After public outcry, and criticism from within the party, the trip was cancelled.
Hanger was the Official Opposition
critic for Citizenship and Immigration
(2001 – 2004), with special responsibility for Foreign Credentials (2004). He was a former Chief Official Opposition critic for National Defence (1997 – 2001) and Opposition critic for the Solicitor General
(1995 – 1997).
He was Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in the 38th Parliament
, and Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs in the 36th Parliament
. He served as a member of various other Parliamentary committees during his career as an MP.
In the summer of 2001, Hanger was the first Alliance MP to be suspended from caucus for criticizing the leadership of Stockwell Day
. However, he did not become a member of the Democratic Representative Caucus
, as he accepted the September 10, 2001 reinstatement offer that was made to all of the dissident MPs.
On March 31, 2004, he was the only Conservative MP in the House of Commons to join with 18 Bloc Québécois MPs to vote against the referral of the Older Adult Justice Act to the Standing Committee on Justice. The move was in contrast to the support the Bill garnered from virtually all Members of his own party, as well as the Liberals and NDP. Mr. Hanger provided no comment about why he voted against this piece of legislation.
he served as Chair of the Standing Committee
on Justice and Human Rights, and also chaired the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
Hanger announced on October 10, 2007 that he would retire at the next election.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician.
Hanger is a former member of the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
, having represented the riding of Calgary Northeast
Calgary Northeast
Calgary Northeast is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988. It is an urban riding in the city of Calgary.-History:...
since 1993 until his retirement in 2008. He has also been a member of the Reform Party of Canada
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
(1993-2000), and the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
(2000-2003). Hanger is a former police officer.
Early political career
Hanger was seen as one of the more radical members of the Reform Party, with these views culminating in March 1996 when he announced that he supported corporal punishmentCorporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
and had booked a trip to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
to investigate their use of caning
Caning
Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of a number of hits with a single cane usually made of rattan, generally applied to the offender's bare or clothed buttocks or hand . Application of a cane to the knuckles or the shoulders has been much less common...
in deterring crime. After public outcry, and criticism from within the party, the trip was cancelled.
Hanger was the Official Opposition
Official Opposition (Canada)
In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition party in the House of Commons or a provincial legislative assembly that is not in government, either on its own or as part of a governing coalition...
critic for Citizenship and Immigration
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Citizenship and Immigration Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for issues dealing with immigration and citizenship...
(2001 – 2004), with special responsibility for Foreign Credentials (2004). He was a former Chief Official Opposition critic for National Defence (1997 – 2001) and Opposition critic for the Solicitor General
Solicitor General of Canada
The Solicitor General of Canada was a position in the Canadian ministry from 1892 to 2005. The position was based on the Solicitor General in the British system and was originally designated as an officer to assist the Minister of Justice...
(1995 – 1997).
He was Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in the 38th Parliament
38th Canadian Parliament
The 38th Canadian Parliament was in session from October 4, 2004 until November 29, 2005. The membership was set by the 2004 federal election on June 28, 2004, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections, but due to the seat distribution, those few changes significantly...
, and Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs in the 36th Parliament
36th Canadian Parliament
The 36th Canadian Parliament was in session from September 22, 1997 until October 22, 2000. The membership was set by the 1997 federal election on June 2, 1997, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 2000 election.It was controlled by...
. He served as a member of various other Parliamentary committees during his career as an MP.
In the summer of 2001, Hanger was the first Alliance MP to be suspended from caucus for criticizing the leadership of Stockwell Day
Stockwell Day
Stockwell Burt Day, Jr., PC, MP is a former Canadian politician, and a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He is a former cabinet minister in Alberta, and a former leader of the Canadian Alliance. Day was MP for the riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla in British Columbia and the president of...
. However, he did not become a member of the Democratic Representative Caucus
Democratic Representative Caucus
The Democratic Representative Caucus was a group of Canadian Members of Parliament who left the Canadian Alliance in 2001 in protest against the leadership of Stockwell Day...
, as he accepted the September 10, 2001 reinstatement offer that was made to all of the dissident MPs.
On March 31, 2004, he was the only Conservative MP in the House of Commons to join with 18 Bloc Québécois MPs to vote against the referral of the Older Adult Justice Act to the Standing Committee on Justice. The move was in contrast to the support the Bill garnered from virtually all Members of his own party, as well as the Liberals and NDP. Mr. Hanger provided no comment about why he voted against this piece of legislation.
Chair of Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights
During the 1st and 2nd Session of the 39th Parliament39th Canadian Parliament
The 39th Canadian Parliament was in session from April 3, 2006 until September 7, 2008. The membership was set by the 2006 federal election on January 23, 2006, and it has changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections...
he served as Chair of the Standing Committee
Standing Committee
In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
on Justice and Human Rights, and also chaired the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
Hanger announced on October 10, 2007 that he would retire at the next election.