Hec Clouthier
Encyclopedia
Hector Daniel Clouthier is a former Member of Parliament for the riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
in Ontario
, Canada
. He is known for wearing a flamboyant fedora
and his election slogan, "Give 'em Hec".
Prior to being elected, Clouthier was Vice-President of Hec Clouthier and Sons Inc., a well-known lumbering firm in the Upper Ottawa Valley. He volunteered as Campaign Chair United Way Upper Ottawa Valley, as a board member of the Pembroke General Hospital, as a board member of the St. Joseph's Non Profit Housing, as Chairman of the Ottawa Valley Lumbermen's Association and President Pembroke and Area Chamber of Commerce.
He originally sought the Liberal nomination in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke before the 1993 federal election, but his candidacy was denied by then-party leader Jean Chrétien
in favour of sitting MP Len Hopkins
. Clouthier ran as an independent candidate and received more than 10,000 votes, finishing second to Hopkins.
In 1997 Hopkins announced he would not be a candidate in the next federal election. There was a spirited battle for the Liberal nomination, and over 4,000 memberships were sold. At the nomination convention Clouthier won over three other candidates. Subsequently he won the general election and became MP for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke. He was elected by his fellow MPs as Chair of Eastern Ontario caucus, and was named by the Prime Minister as Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of National Defence in 2000.
In the 2000 election, he was defeated because of his controversial endorsement of gun control
, which had become highly unpopular in the region. After the election he was asked by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to be a Special Advisor in the Prime Minister's Office. He served in the PMO until Paul Martin took over as Prime Minister.
In the fall of 2002 Clouthier met U.S. President George W. Bush
in Detroit at a border conference. The American President was "smitten" by Clouthier's fedora and asked for one. Clouthier had a fedora made for the President and sent it to the White House.
Clouthier served as Executive Director for the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) from 2007 till June 1, 2010 when he resigned in order to once again seek political office. OHRIA is the umbrella group for the horse racing industry in Ontario. This industry generates more than 60,000 jobs and represents $ 2.6 billion in value added annual income for Ontario.
Clouthier ran as an Independent in the 2011 federal election. He came second getting almost 10,000 votes, the most of any Independent in Ontario.
He is President and CEO of Hec Clouthier Consulting Ltd.
Clouthier holds a professional harness horse driver's licence. He is an avid marathon runner and has run 25 marathons including the Boston Marathon
in 2005, 2009 and 2010 and the New York Marathon in 2011.
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.It is represented by Cheryl Gallant of the Conservative Party....
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
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...
. He is known for wearing a flamboyant fedora
Fedora (hat)
A fedora is a men's felt hat. In reality, "fedora" describes most any men's hat that does not already have another name; quite a few fedoras have famous names of their own including the famous Trilby....
and his election slogan, "Give 'em Hec".
Prior to being elected, Clouthier was Vice-President of Hec Clouthier and Sons Inc., a well-known lumbering firm in the Upper Ottawa Valley. He volunteered as Campaign Chair United Way Upper Ottawa Valley, as a board member of the Pembroke General Hospital, as a board member of the St. Joseph's Non Profit Housing, as Chairman of the Ottawa Valley Lumbermen's Association and President Pembroke and Area Chamber of Commerce.
He originally sought the Liberal nomination in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke before the 1993 federal election, but his candidacy was denied by then-party leader Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
in favour of sitting MP Len Hopkins
Len Hopkins
Leonard Donald "Len" Hopkins was a Canadian politician and member of the Liberal Party of Canada.Born in Argyle, Ontario, Hopkins was educated at the Ryerson Institute of Technology, the North Bay Teacher's College, as well as receiving a B.A...
. Clouthier ran as an independent candidate and received more than 10,000 votes, finishing second to Hopkins.
In 1997 Hopkins announced he would not be a candidate in the next federal election. There was a spirited battle for the Liberal nomination, and over 4,000 memberships were sold. At the nomination convention Clouthier won over three other candidates. Subsequently he won the general election and became MP for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke. He was elected by his fellow MPs as Chair of Eastern Ontario caucus, and was named by the Prime Minister as Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of National Defence in 2000.
In the 2000 election, he was defeated because of his controversial endorsement of gun control
Gun politics
Gun politics addresses safety issues and ideologies related to firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, and distribution of firearms.-National sovereignty:...
, which had become highly unpopular in the region. After the election he was asked by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to be a Special Advisor in the Prime Minister's Office. He served in the PMO until Paul Martin took over as Prime Minister.
In the fall of 2002 Clouthier met U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in Detroit at a border conference. The American President was "smitten" by Clouthier's fedora and asked for one. Clouthier had a fedora made for the President and sent it to the White House.
Clouthier served as Executive Director for the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) from 2007 till June 1, 2010 when he resigned in order to once again seek political office. OHRIA is the umbrella group for the horse racing industry in Ontario. This industry generates more than 60,000 jobs and represents $ 2.6 billion in value added annual income for Ontario.
Clouthier ran as an Independent in the 2011 federal election. He came second getting almost 10,000 votes, the most of any Independent in Ontario.
He is President and CEO of Hec Clouthier Consulting Ltd.
Clouthier holds a professional harness horse driver's licence. He is an avid marathon runner and has run 25 marathons including the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
in 2005, 2009 and 2010 and the New York Marathon in 2011.