Kent Hehr
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The Honourable Kent Hehr PC MP |
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| Minister of Veterans Affairs | |
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Assumed office November 4, 2015 |
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| Prime Minister | Justin Trudeau |
| Preceded by | Erin O'Toole |
| Associate Minister of National Defence | |
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Assumed office November 4, 2015 |
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| Prime Minister | Justin Trudeau |
| Preceded by | Julian Fantino |
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Calgary Centre |
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Assumed office October 19, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Joan Crockatt |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Buffalo | |
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In office March 3, 2008 – May 5, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Harvey Cenaiko |
| Succeeded by | Kathleen Ganley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 16, 1969 Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Canada |
| Alma mater | University of Calgary |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Website | KentHehr.ca |
Kent Hehr PC MP (born December 16, 1969) is a lawyer, community leader and Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Calgary Centre after winning in the 2015 Canadian general elections. Hehr was named Minister of Veterans Affairs in the federal Cabinet, headed by Justin Trudeau, on November 4, 2015. Part of his mandate letter by the prime minister, he was mandated to reopen the nine veterans affairs offices closed by the conservative government, restore lifelong pensions for injured veterans, increase the value of the disability award, expand access to the permanent impairment allowance, create a veterans education benefit and more. He was the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Buffalo from 2008 to 2015.
As a teenager, Hehr was active in sports including both baseball and hockey. These are interests which Hehr is still passionate about to this day. He played for the Alberta Junior Hockey League champion Calgary Canucks in 1989-90 and for the Mount Royal College Cougars the following year.
He had a goal of becoming a physical education teacher. However, on October 3, 1991, Hehr was shot as a bystander in a drive-by shooting and became quadraplegic. His injuries ended his plans, and instead Hehr pursued post-secondary studies at Mount Royal College and then at the University of Calgary, from which he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Canadian Studies and a Bachelor of Laws. Upon graduation he was named graduate of the decade and ranked among the top 40 graduates in 40 years. Prior to being elected Member of the Legislative Assembly, Hehr practised law at Fraser Milner Casgrain.
Hehr also became active in the community, leading various groups, such as the Alberta branch of the Canadian Paraplegic Association. In 2008, he was listed as one of "20 Compelling Calgarians" by the Calgary Herald.
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