Gord Hunter

Who is Gord Hunter?

Gordon Hunter was an Ottawa City Councillor. He represented Knoxdale-Merivale Ward. On January 31, 2010, he announced that he would not be running re-election to city council in 2010.

Hunter was born into a military family and moved frequently during his childhood. He attended Lakefield College School, Dalhousie University, and University of Toronto, graduating in 1968. He moved to Nepean in 1968 to become a teacher at Confederation High School, and taught physical education there for thirty-one years until the school closed in 1999. He was also a national champion at orienteering.

He ran for the federal Liberal Party in the 1980 federal election, but lost to Progressive Conservative Walter Baker by more than 12,000 votes. He ran again in the 1984 federal election, and lost by almost 21,000 votes.

Hunter entered municipal politics in 1980 when he was elected to the Nepean City Council as well as to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton Council. He was easily reelected in every election thereafter.

During the 1980s when the Non-Smoking Bylaw was on the agenda at the Nepean City Hall Garfield Mahood, executive director of Non-Smokers' Rights Association, amongst other health experts, attempted to persuade Hunter to support the bylaw. However, Hunter steadfastly refused to support a non-smoking bylaw.