Jim Hart (politician)
Encyclopedia
Early years
Hart was born in Edmonton, Alberta, was educated in Calgary and completed his military training at Canadian Forces Fleet School Halifax, CFB Borden and CFB Esquimalt. Jim Hart served in the Canadian Forces twice, first for 5 years in the navy. After training as an Electrical Technician Hart served on 3 of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship's(HMCS)Gatineau, Qu'Appelle and Yukon. Hart served an addition 5 years as a Canadian Armed Forces Reserve officer and Commanding Officer of the 902 Kiwanis Air Cadet Squadron. Mr. Hart completed his broadcasting training at the Columbia Academy of Radio and Television Arts in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1981. Hart has also studied at the Canadian Securities InstituteCanadian Securities Institute
CSI Global Education Inc. is a Canadian financial services education company that provides courses and credentials for financial services professionals across all pillars of the financial services industry...
, completing the Canadian Securities Course and the Ethics, Conduct and Practices Program. Prior to entering political life, Hart worked in the broadcasting industry as radio host, television host, account executive and radio station manager.
Political career
In 1988, Hart was elected to municipal government and served two terms as a Trustee. In 1989, he joined a new national political movement, the Reform Party of CanadaReform 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....
, which became 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...
in 2000.
Hart was first elected 1993 to represent the riding of Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt
Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt
Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt was a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 1997....
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, in the Canadian parliament. He was re-elected in 1997 in the new riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla
Okanagan—Coquihalla
Okanagan—Coquihalla is a federal electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.-Geography:...
.
In 1998, as a member of Canada’s official opposition, he was elected by his peers as the Vice Chairman of the House Standing Committee of Defense and Veterans’ Affairs. As well, Hart was appointed as Chief Opposition Critic for a number of senior portfolios including Defense, Veterans’ Affairs, and Justice. He also served as an executive member on the Canada/Japan and NATO Parliamentary Associations.
In March 1996 Hart accused Jean-Marc Jacob
Jean-Marc Jacob
Jean-Marc Jacob was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1997. He is a veterinarian by career....
, Member of Parliament for Charlesbourg, of sedition for a 1995 communique sent by him (Jacob) to members of the Armed Forces in Quebec concerning the October 30, 1995 separation referendum in that province. The Speaker ruled the matter prima facie
Prima facie
Prima facie is a Latin expression meaning on its first encounter, first blush, or at first sight. The literal translation would be "at first face", from the feminine form of primus and facies , both in the ablative case. It is used in modern legal English to signify that on first examination, a...
, Mr. Hart moved a motion, which after debate was amended, and the House referred the matter to committee for study. See debates, March 12, 1996, pp. 557–67; March 13, 1996, pp. 648–74; March 14, 1996, pp. 680–703; March 18, 1996,pp 854–9. On June 18, 1996 the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented its Twenty-Ninth Report which found that although Mr. Jacobs actions were ill advised, there was no contempt of the House. See Journals June 18, 1996, pp. 565–6; June 20, 1996, pp. 592–3 (House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Robert Marleau and Camille Montpetit ISBN 2-89461-378-4)
The communique urged Canadian Armed Forces personnel, along with equipment and military hardware to immediately join the new Quebec Armed Forces the day after a "yes" vote in the referendum. The referendum failed to win a majority.
Inquiry
Hart resigned as a Member of Parliament in order so that newly elected Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell DayStockwell 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...
could enter the House of Commons through a by-election. After the by-election, Hart received a severance payment of $50,000 from the Canadian Alliance, which prompted a Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) inquiry. The Canadian Alliance maintained that the payment was made to cover lost income between the time of his resignation and the date of the next election, and was not an inducement.
The RCMP inquiry concluded that an investigation was not necessary and that neither Hart nor the Canadian Alliance had committed a criminal offence, and no charges were ever laid in the matter.
Later career
Since leaving parliament, Hart has worked as a lobbyist, with clients including the British Columbia Naturopathic Association, and has continued to speak publicly about proposed changes to health care regulations in British Columbia.In 2004 Hart moved to the Republic of Georgia and worked as a parliamentary adviser to H.E. Speaker Nino Burjanadze.
In 2005, Hart received an honorary doctorate from Georgian Technical University
Georgian Technical University
Georgian Technical University – GTU , now Technical University of Georgia is main and largest technical university of Georgia, it is located in the capital city of Tbilisi.- History :...
for his work in parliament and promoting democracy in Georgia.
In May 2008 the Hart returned to Georgia. Jim accepted the position of Dean, School of Governance at Caucasus University.
In the fall of 2008, Jim Hart was offered a position with Management Systems International (MSI) to work in Baghdad, Iraq as Senior Legislative Adviser on a multi-year contract to assist in strengthening the Council of Representatives (COR) Iraq's national parliament. Mr Hart accepted the position and in June 2009 he was promoted to the position of Chief of Party, heading the field operations and programming of the Iraq Legislative Strengthening Program (ILSP) a multi-million dollar USAID development program.
Mr. Hart has been in demand in the field of parliamentary development since 2004, he has managed parliamentary strengthening programs in the Republic of Georgia, Iraq, and Indonesia. In addition, Hart has been active with assignments observing elections in Ukraine, Georgia, and Afghanistan. The impressive list of clients includes international NGO's, USAID, OSCE and the European Union. www.JAHartConsulting.com
Jim Hart re-entered political life in 2011 running for School Trustee in District #22 Vernon BC. Election date is November 19, 2011.