Oscar Hillgaar
Encyclopedia
Oscar Douglas Hillgaar is a Norwegian politician formerly representing the Progress Party
.
He was born in Holt
, and is of Irish
descent. He attended the Norwegian Naval Academy
from 1966 to 1967, and served in the Royal Norwegian Navy
in Tromsø
from 1967 to 1968. He worked as an air traffic controller
assistant at Lakselv Airport, Banak
from 1968 to 1969, then took air traffic controller
education from 1969 to 1971. After completing his education he worked at Bodø
, Bardufoss
, Karmøy
and Fornebu
until 1989.
Hillgaar entered politics to fight for traffic safety in his own neighborhood. He was a member of Sandefjord
municipal council from 1983 to 1995, serving as deputy mayor from 1987 to 1989. From 1983 to 1987 he was also a member of Vestfold county council
. He chaired the local chapter of the Progress Party from 1982 to 1990. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Vestfold in 1989, and was re-elected in 1993. He served the first term in the Standing Committee on Agriculture, and the second term in the Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment
.
Following the 1994 Progress Party national convention
he left the Progress Party. Ahead of the convention he had submitted party-critical resolutions together with Ellen Wibe
, Ellen Christine Christiansen
, Stephen Bråthen
and Roy Wetterstad
. The group had some support, but was a clear minority. During the convention, Hillgaar publicly lamented the "Moscow processes" of the convention, and also the views on women and the "extreme xenophobia" which he felt was conveyed by the party program. He left the party a week after the convention. He continued the rest of the term as an independent. There were talks about him fielding in the 1997 election
for the Free Democrats
, but this did not happen.
From 1997 to 2005 he worked as a supervisor at the Oslo Air Traffic Control Center
. From 1998 to 2000 he was also a secretary for the trade union Norwegian Air Traffic Controllers' Association. From 1999 to 2002 he was the deputy chair of the Norwegian Labour Party
in Sandefjord. From 2003 to 2007 he served a fourth term in Sandefjord's municipal council. Already in 1994 he had stated that were it not for the circumstances in Sandefjord politics, he might as well have joined the Labour Party—or the Conservative Party
—already in the 1980s.
Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
.
He was born in Holt
Holt, Norway
Holt is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is currently located in the present-day municipality of Tvedestrand in the Sørlandet region. It is located along the Nordkalottruta....
, and is of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
descent. He attended the Norwegian Naval Academy
Norwegian Naval Academy
- External links :*...
from 1966 to 1967, and served in the Royal Norwegian Navy
Royal Norwegian Navy
The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...
in Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
from 1967 to 1968. He worked as an air traffic controller
Air traffic controller
Air traffic controllers are the people who expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. The position of the air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized skills...
assistant at Lakselv Airport, Banak
Lakselv Airport, Banak
Lakselv Airport, Banak is located 1,5 km from the town of Lakselv in the municipality of Porsanger in Finnmark county, in northern Norway. The airport also serves Karasjok, some 74 km to the south, with a corresponding airport coach six days a week...
from 1968 to 1969, then took air traffic controller
Air traffic controller
Air traffic controllers are the people who expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. The position of the air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized skills...
education from 1969 to 1971. After completing his education he worked at Bodø
Bodø Airport
Bodø Airport is civil airport in Bodø, Norway. Located just south of the city centre, on the westernmost tip of the peninsula Bodø lies on, it shares facilities with the military air force base Bodø Main Air Station. The airport has a single concrete, runway which runs in a roughly east-west...
, Bardufoss
Bardufoss Airport
Bardufoss Airport is situated at Bardufoss in the municipality of Målselv in Troms, North Norway. The airport is primarily military, but also serves a few civilian flights...
, Karmøy
Haugesund Airport, Karmøy
Haugesund Airport, Karmøy is the airport serving the city of Haugesund in Norway. It is located on the west side of the island and municipality of Karmøy, southwest of Haugesund. The airport was opened in 1975 and is operated by Avinor....
and Fornebu
Oslo Airport, Fornebu
Oslo Airport, Fornebu was the main airport serving Oslo and Eastern Norway from 1 June 1939 to 7 October 1998. It was then replaced by Oslo Airport, Gardermoen and the area has since been redeveloped. The airport was located at Fornebu in Bærum, from the city center. Fornebu had two runways, one...
until 1989.
Hillgaar entered politics to fight for traffic safety in his own neighborhood. He was a member of Sandefjord
Sandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
municipal council from 1983 to 1995, serving as deputy mayor from 1987 to 1989. From 1983 to 1987 he was also a member of Vestfold county council
County council (Norway)
A County Council is the highest governing body of the county municipalities in Norway. The county council sets the scope of the county municipal activity. The council is led by a chairman or county mayor...
. He chaired the local chapter of the Progress Party from 1982 to 1990. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Vestfold in 1989, and was re-elected in 1993. He served the first term in the Standing Committee on Agriculture, and the second term in the Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment
Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment
The Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment is a standing committee of the Parliament of Norway. It is responsible for policies relating to petroleum, energy, hydroelectricity, environmental protection and regional planning. It corresponds to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and...
.
Following the 1994 Progress Party national convention
1994 Progress Party national convention
The 1994 national convention of the Progress Party of Norway was held from 15 April to 17 April at the hotel Bolkesjø Turisthotell in Bolkesjø, Telemark...
he left the Progress Party. Ahead of the convention he had submitted party-critical resolutions together with Ellen Wibe
Ellen Wibe
Ellen Margrethe Wibe is a Norwegian communications worker, society commentator and former politician.She was active in politics for five years for the Progress Party...
, Ellen Christine Christiansen
Ellen Christine Christiansen
Ellen Christine Christiansen is a Norwegian politician representing the Conservative Party and formerly the Progress Party....
, Stephen Bråthen
Stephen Bråthen
Stephen Bråthen is a Norwegian politician formerly representing the Progress Party.He was born in Lørenskog. He took a basic education in economics before enrolling in the Norwegian Armed Forces. He served in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon from 1985 to 1986...
and Roy Wetterstad
Roy Wetterstad
Roy Nettum Wetterstad is a Norwegian politician formerly representing the Progress Party.He was born in Kongsberg. He attended commerce school in Kongsberg and Hønefoss from 1979 to 1982, then worked two years for the Youth of the Progress Party, where he also held elected positions...
. The group had some support, but was a clear minority. During the convention, Hillgaar publicly lamented the "Moscow processes" of the convention, and also the views on women and the "extreme xenophobia" which he felt was conveyed by the party program. He left the party a week after the convention. He continued the rest of the term as an independent. There were talks about him fielding in the 1997 election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1997
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 15 September 1997. Before the election, Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland of the Labour Party, issued the 36.9 ultimatum declaring that the government would step down unless it gained 36.9% of the vote, the percentage gained...
for the Free Democrats
Free Democrats (Norway)
The Free Democrats is a political organization formed by former members of the Progress Party of Norway in 1994.The 1993 election saw the support of the Progress Party halved...
, but this did not happen.
From 1997 to 2005 he worked as a supervisor at the Oslo Air Traffic Control Center
Oslo Air Traffic Control Center
Oslo Air Traffic Control Center or Oslo ATCC is responsible for the controlled airspace above Eastern Norway. The area control center is located at Røyken, between Oslo and Drammen. The Control Center is owned and operated by the state enterprise Avinor...
. From 1998 to 2000 he was also a secretary for the trade union Norwegian Air Traffic Controllers' Association. From 1999 to 2002 he was the deputy chair of the Norwegian Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
in Sandefjord. From 2003 to 2007 he served a fourth term in Sandefjord's municipal council. Already in 1994 he had stated that were it not for the circumstances in Sandefjord politics, he might as well have joined the Labour Party—or the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
—already in the 1980s.