Kent Hehr

Infobox MLA
honorific-prefix =
name = Kent Hehr
honorific-suffix =

---

caption =
office = MLA for Calgary Buffalo
term_start = 2008 election
term_end =
predecessor = Harvey Cenaiko
birth_date =
birth_place =
nationality =
party = Alberta Liberal Party
spouse =
children =
residence =
alma_mater = University of Calgary
occupation =
profession = Lawyer
religion =


website = [http://www.kenthehr.com/ KentHehr.com]
footnotes =

Kent Hehr is the Liberal Member Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the riding of Calgary Buffalo.cite news | url = http://www.cbc.ca/canada/albertavotes2008/story/2008/03/03/calgary-ridings.html | title = Conservatives' Calgary fortress resists change | work = cbc.ca | publisher = CBC News date = 2008-03-03 | accessdate = 2008-03-03]

Personal life

As a teenager, Hehr was extremely active in sports including both baseball and hockey. These are interests in which Hehr is still passionate about to this day.

He had a goal of becomming a physical education teacher. However, in October 1991 Hehr was shot as a bystander in a drive-by shooting.cite news | first = Mike | last = Dempster | url = http://www.businessedge.ca/article.cfm/newsID/9830.cfm | title = Access advocate tackles workplace barriers: Lawyer won't let tragedy rule life as he works to change attitudes | work = Business Edge | date = 2005-06-16 | accessdate = 2007-09-14 ] Hehr’s injuries ended his plans to become a physical education teacher. Instead Kent pursued his post secondary studies at Mount Royal College and the University of Calgary. He was bestowed wtih a Bachelor of Arts in Canadian Studies and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Calgary. Upon graduation he was named graduate of the decade and ranked among the top 40 graduates in 40 years. Prior to being elected the Member of the Legislative Assembly Kent practiced law at Fraser Milner Casgrain.

Hehr also became active in the community, leading various groups, such as the Alberta branch of Canadian Paraplegic Association. In 2008 he was named in a list of "20 Compelling Calgarians" by the Calgary Herald. [cite news | first = Rita | last = Mingo | url = http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=b070f597-5b41-4c6d-bbc1-195946319081&k=2587 | title = 20 Compelling Calgarians / Injury led lawyer to new rewards | work = Calgary Herald | date = 2008-01-01 | accessdate = 2008-03-03 ]

Hehr has also been active in numerous community groups within Calgary. He served on the following boards in the past few yearscite news | url = http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_bio&rnumber=03 | title = MLA for Calgary-Buffalo | work = | publisher = Alberta Legislature | accessdate = 2008-08-27] :

* National Education Association of Disabled Students, president
* Calgary Advisory Committee on Accessibility, chair
* Canadian Paraplegic Association (Alberta), chair
* Calgary Downtown West Community Association
* United Way of Calgary Leaders Committee
* Calgary Canuck Alumni Association

Political Career

Hehr won the Calgary Buffalo Liberal nomination in a contest with Keith Purdy, a gay rights activist, in a nomination in June 2006.cite news | url = http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2006/06/20/ca-hehr-06206006.html | title = Liberals select lawyer as Calgary-Buffalo candidate | work = cbc.ca | publisher = CBC News | date = 2006-06-20 | accessdate = 2007-09-14 ] It was the first time the Alberta Liberals had had a contested nomination in Calgary since 1998. He was subsequently elected to the legislature in the March 3, 2008 general election.

After the election, Hehr was chosen to be the Shadow Minister for Justice and Solicitor General for the Alberta Liberal Caucus. cite news | url = http://alc.whitematter.ca/index.php/alc/caucus_member/kent_hehr/ | title = Kent Hehr, Calgary Buffalo | work = | publisher = Alberta Liberal Caucus | accessdate = 2008-08-27] As the Shadow Minister Hehr has been working to tackle crime in the province while focusing on other justice issues.

In the legislature Kent serves on the following committees: cite news | url = http://isys.assembly.ab.ca:8080/isysquery/irl52b2/1/doc/ | title = Alberta Hansard| work = | publisher = Alberta Liberal Caucus | date = 2008-06-06 | accessdate = 2008-08-27]

* Special Standing Committee on Member Services

* Standing Committee on Community Services (deputy chair)

* Standing Committee on Resource and Environment

Gun Violence

Hehr’s major focus has been on gun violence in the province. Soon after being elected the City of Calgary has become trapped in a gang war, which has claimed the lives of many young individuals. cite news | url = http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080724/CGY_gang_violence_080724/20080724/?hub=CalgaryHome | title = CTV Calgary| work = | publisher = CTV Calgary | date = 2008-07-24 | accessdate = 2008-08-27]

Hehr has been putting pressure on the government to help reduce these numbers. Hehr started by calling on the province to increase the number of police officers on the beat in downtown Calgary. The Mayor and the Police Chief have also joined in his call to increase the number of police officers. cite news | url = http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=ad4e8ea7-66a7-4c50-afde-d8f88868aaa0| title = Edmonton Journal| work = | publisher = Edmonton Journal | date = 2008-07-24 | accessdate = 2008-08-27]

Hehr’s most recent call has been to give police the power to seize vehicles that contain unregistered firearms, along with the gun.

Electoral Record

-
Liberal
Kent Hehr
align="right"|4,584
align="right"|48.92
align="right"
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Progressive Conservative
Sean Chu
align="right"|3,682
align="right"|38.72
align="right"
-
Green
Stephen Ricketts
align="right"|611
align="right"|6.52
align="right"
-
New Democrat
Robert Lawrence
align="right"|387
align="right"|4.13
align="right"
-
Social Credit
Antoni Grochowski
align="right"|160
align="right"
align="right"

References

External links

* [http://www.kenthehr.com/ Campagin Site]
* [http://alc.whitematter.ca/index.php/alc/caucus_member/kent_hehr/ Shadow Ministry Site]