Art Hanger

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Arthur "Art" Hanger (born February 19, 1943 in Three Hills, Alberta) is a Canadian politician.

Hanger is currently a member of the Conservative Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Calgary Northeast since 1993. 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. He arose great controversy in 1996 when he proposed travelling to Singapore to investigate their use of corporal punishment in deterring crime. After an outcry, and criticism from within the party, the trip was cancelled. Art Hanger, also made the following controversial remarks as Reform Party's first immigration critic: "Immigrants are choking welfare systems, contributing to high unemployment, and many cannot read." [February 2, 1994 Canadian Press] In a 1994 tour of Toronto Hanger asked a Toronto store owner if he didn't have crime problems with groups like Jamaicans.

Hanger is currently a backbench government MP and is a former Opposition critic for Citizenship and Immigration, with special responsibility for Foreign Credentials. He is a former Opposition critic for the Solicitor General and for National Defence.

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 MP in the House of Commons to join with 18 Bloc Quebecois 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 important piece of legislation.

[edit] External links

• Political Biography from the Library of Parliament

Preceded by: Alex Kindy, PC

Members of Parliament from Calgary Northeast

Succeeded by: (incumbent)

	Alberta Caucus serving in the 39th Canadian Parliament.
Senators	Tommy Banks (Lib), Joyce Fairbairn (Lib), Daniel Hays (Lib), Elaine McCoy (PC), Grant Mitchell (Lib), Claudette Tardif (Lib)
Members of Parliament	Diane Ablonczy (Con), Rona Ambrose (Con), Rob Anders (Con), Leon Benoit (Con), Blaine Calkins (Con), Rick Casson (Con), Ken Epp (Con), Peter Goldring (Con), Art Hanger (Con), Stephen Harper (Con), Laurie Hawn (Con), Rahim Jaffer (Con), Brian Jean (Con), Jason Kenney (Con), Mike Lake (Con), Ted Menzies (Con), Rob Merrifield (Con), Bob Mills (Con), Deepak Obhrai (Con), Jim Prentice (Con), James Rajotte (Con), Lee Richardson (Con), Monte Solberg (Con), Kevin Sorenson (Con), Brian Storseth (Con), Myron Thompson (Con), Chris Warkentin (Con), John Williams (Con)