Michael Luchkovich

Michael Luchkovich (November 13, 1892 – April 21, 1973) was a Canadian politician. He was the first person of Ukrainian origin to be elected to Parliament.

Michael Luchkovich
Member of Parliament for Vegreville
In office
1926–1935
Preceded byArthur Moren Boutillier
Succeeded byWilliam Hayhurst
Personal details
BornNovember 13, 1892
Shamokin, Pennsylvania, United States
DiedApril 21, 1973(1973-04-21) (aged 80)
Canada
Political partyUnited Farmers
Co-operative Commonwealth
OccupationTeacher

Early life

His father immigrated from Nowy Sacz in the Lemko /Ukrainian region in Poland to Pennsylvania, where he worked as a miner and where Michael was born. When Luchkovich was ten his family moved to Canada, where his father operated a hotel.

Luchkovich graduated from high school in Winnipeg, Manitoba and then studied at the University of Calgary, where he obtained a degree in political science, and at the Calgary Normal School, where he earned his qualifications as a teacher.[1]

Political career

Luchkovich was elected as a United Farmers of Alberta candidate in the district of Vegreville in the 1926 federal election.[2] His election made him the first person of Ukrainian descent to be elected to the federal Parliament. He became a national spokesman for Canada's 200,000 Ukrainians, speaking against discrimination. He was re-elected in the 1930 federal election over Liberal challenger Charles Gorden by 1,010 votes.[3] He was defeated by Social Credit candidate William Hayhurst in the 1935 election.[4]

He was a founding member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and ran under its banner in the 1935 election.

Published works and honors

Luchkovich was a writer and translator of Ukrainian literature into English. He edited Their Land, an anthology of Ukrainian short stories.[1] He wrote two autobiographical works: A Ukrainian Canadian in Parliament (Toronto : Ukrainian Canadian Research Foundation, 1965. 128 p.) and My Memoirs, 1892-1962. (s.l . : s.n., 1963?. 204 leaves).

The Michael Luchkovich Scholarships For Career Development are named in his honor and awarded three times each year. An award in his name was created in 1986 and is given annually to Alberta parliamentarians of Ukrainian descent who perform exemplary public service.[5]

References
  1. First Ukrainian MP dies Saturday at 80, Edmonton Journal, April 23, 1973
  2. "Vegreville election". Parliament of Canada. September 14, 1926. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
  3. "Vegreville election". Parliament of Canada. July 28, 1930. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
  4. "Vegreville election". Parliament of Canada. October 14, 1935. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
  5. "2007 Annual Report" (PDF). Ukrainian Canadian Congress. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
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