Bruce Hyer
Encyclopedia
Bruce Tolhurst Hyer is an American-born Canadian
politician, who was first elected to represent the electoral district
of Thunder Bay—Superior North
in the 2008 Canadian federal election
, and re-elected with a wider margin in the 2011 federal election. He is a member of the New Democratic Party
.
for the Canadian federal riding of Thunder Bay—Superior North
.
Prior to his election to the House of Commons, he was an ecologist and entrepreneur in the Thunder Bay area, operating an ecotourist
company with offices in Thunder Bay
and Armstrong
. The former bush pilot was head of the North of Superior Tourism Board for many years before stepping down to run for office. He received a Master of Science
degree in Forestry
from Lakehead University
in 1997, and ran as a New Democratic Party candidate in two elections before being elected in the 2008 election
.
An internationally recognized conservationist, Hyer is the only person to have twice received the prestigious Conservation Trophy from Ontario Nature for his work on biodiversity and protected areas. Hyer has been instrumental in the creation and preservation of Wabakimi Provincial Park
, and was part of the Wabakimi Park Boundary Committee.
On February 10, 2009, Hyer tabled Bill C-311 the Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311)
as his first private member's bill
in the House of Commons
. Other bills Hyer has introduced include Bill C-312 the Made in Canada Act, the Cell Phone Freedom Act (Bill C-560)
and a number of motions including the Northwest Ontario Passenger Rail Motion, which mandates the return of Via Rail
service to the North shore of Lake Superior
and to Thunder Bay
.
Hyer was born in Hartford
, Connecticut
, United States
in 1946. He is married to Margaret Wanlin and they have one son, Michael.
Canadians of American origin
American-Canadians are people of Canadian citizenship who were born in the United States of America. They account for a significant portion of Canada's population. Canada and the United States share much culturally but are separate geopolitical entities in North America.According to the Canada 2006...
politician, who was first elected to represent the electoral district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Thunder Bay—Superior North
Thunder Bay—Superior North
Thunder Bay—Superior North is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1976....
in the 2008 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
, and re-elected with a wider margin in the 2011 federal election. He is a member of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
.
Background
Hyer is the Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Canadian federal riding of Thunder Bay—Superior North
Thunder Bay—Superior North
Thunder Bay—Superior North is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1976....
.
Prior to his election to the House of Commons, he was an ecologist and entrepreneur in the Thunder Bay area, operating an ecotourist
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
company with offices in Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
and Armstrong
Armstrong, Thunder Bay District, Ontario
Armstrong is a community and divisional point on the Canadian National Railway in the unorganized portion of Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The Whitesand First Nation's Armstrong Settlement is coterminous to this community....
. The former bush pilot was head of the North of Superior Tourism Board for many years before stepping down to run for office. He received a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in Forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
from Lakehead University
Lakehead University
Lakehead University is a public research university in Thunder Bay, and Orillia, Ontario, Canada.Lakehead University, shortened to 'Lakehead U', or 'LU', is non-denominational and provincially supported. It has undergraduate and graduate programs and a medical school.The school has more than 45,000...
in 1997, and ran as a New Democratic Party candidate in two elections before being elected in the 2008 election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
.
An internationally recognized conservationist, Hyer is the only person to have twice received the prestigious Conservation Trophy from Ontario Nature for his work on biodiversity and protected areas. Hyer has been instrumental in the creation and preservation of Wabakimi Provincial Park
Wabakimi Provincial Park
Wabakimi Provincial Park is a wilderness park located to the northwest of Lake Nipigon in the province of Ontario, Canada. The park contains a vast and interconnected network of more than 2,000 kilometres of lakes and rivers...
, and was part of the Wabakimi Park Boundary Committee.
On February 10, 2009, Hyer tabled Bill C-311 the Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311)
Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311)
The Climate Change Accountability Act was a Private Member's Bill in the 40th Parliament, originally tabled in October 2006 in the Canadian House of Commons as Bill C-377 of the 39th Parliament by Jack Layton, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada...
as his first private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
in the 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...
. Other bills Hyer has introduced include Bill C-312 the Made in Canada Act, the Cell Phone Freedom Act (Bill C-560)
Cell Phone Freedom Act (Bill C-560)
The Cell Phone Freedom Act was introduced on June 17, 2010 in the Canadian House of Commons as Bill C-560 by Bruce Hyer, the New Democratic Party Small Business Critic and Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North.- Provisions :...
and a number of motions including the Northwest Ontario Passenger Rail Motion, which mandates the return of Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
service to the North shore of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
and to Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
.
Hyer was born in Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1946. He is married to Margaret Wanlin and they have one son, Michael.