Gene Zwozdesky
Encyclopedia
Gene Zwozdesky is a politician and current cabinet minister from Alberta
, Canada
.
Zwozdeksy, was born in Saskatchewan but came to Alberta at the age of two. He lived in Grand Centre
, Hinton
and Sangudo
before moving to Edmonton
, where he has lived in 1963 and where he obtain bachelor's degrees in arts and education from the University of Alberta
. Before becoming involved in politics Zwozdesky worked as a teacher, administrator, professional musician and businessman. Zwozdesky joined the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers in 1963, and was dancer for that troupe for six years, before becoming the musical director, composing and conducting the music for twenty-five years, as well as serving in the same role for the Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company
. He was involved in various other cultural organizations, was the executive director of the Alberta Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Alberta Ukrainian Canadian Centennial Commission, and has served on various voluntary boards.
Zwozdesky was first elected in the 1993 Alberta general election
as the Alberta Liberal Party
's candidate, defeating incumbent Marie Laing
from the Alberta New Democratic Party
. He was re-elected to the new riding of Edmonton Mill Creek
in the 1997 Alberta general election
.
In July 1998, he left the Liberal Party caucus and sat as an Independent member
after a dispute over fiscal policy. He joined the governing Progressive Conservatives
a month later. In the 2001 Alberta general election
he won by a generous margin over the Liberal challenger Bharat Agnihotri
.
He was appointed to the cabinet
as Minister of Community Development, after hanging on to his seat in the 2004 Alberta general election
he was appointed Minister of Education.
On December 15, 2006, he was replaced in Premier Ed Stelmach
's cabinet by Ron Liepert
. He again joined the Alberta Cabinet on June 27, 2007 as Associate Minister for Capital Planning. , he is the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Deputy Government House Leader. He is also co-chair of the Advisory Council on Alberta-Ukraine Relations, co-chair of the Cabinet Policy Committee on Public Safety and Services, and a member of the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing.
Zwozdesky has won numerous awards from cultural and arts organizations, as well as the 2005 Alberta Centennial Medal.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Zwozdeksy, was born in Saskatchewan but came to Alberta at the age of two. He lived in Grand Centre
Grand Centre, Alberta
Grand Centre was a town in Alberta, Canada.It was amalgamated with Cold Lake and Medley, a community on CFB Cold Lake, to form the new city of Cold Lake in 1996.-References:...
, Hinton
Hinton, Alberta
Hinton is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada.It is located in Yellowhead County, northeast of Jasper and about west of Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, at the intersection of Yellowhead and Bighorn Highway, in the Athabasca River valley.-History:...
and Sangudo
Sangudo, Alberta
Sangudo is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Lac Ste. Anne County. It is located on Highway 43 and the Pembina River, approximately northwest of Edmonton....
before moving to Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, where he has lived in 1963 and where he obtain bachelor's degrees in arts and education from the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
. Before becoming involved in politics Zwozdesky worked as a teacher, administrator, professional musician and businessman. Zwozdesky joined the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers in 1963, and was dancer for that troupe for six years, before becoming the musical director, composing and conducting the music for twenty-five years, as well as serving in the same role for the Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company
Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company
Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company is a Ukrainian dance company based in Edmonton, Alberta and a leader of Ukrainian dance in Canada. It was founded in 1969 by Chester and Luba Kuc and named after the Cheremosh River that separates the historic regions of Bukovyna and Galicia in Ukraine...
. He was involved in various other cultural organizations, was the executive director of the Alberta Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Alberta Ukrainian Canadian Centennial Commission, and has served on various voluntary boards.
Zwozdesky was first elected in the 1993 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1993
The Alberta general election of 1993 was the twenty-third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 15, 1993 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
as the Alberta Liberal Party
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
's candidate, defeating incumbent Marie Laing
Marie Laing
Marie Laing, Ph.d.; R.Phsych was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 to 1993.-Political career:Laing represented the now-defunct southeast Edmonton riding of Edmonton-Avonmore for the Alberta New Democrats. She currently teaches psychiatry at the University of Alberta in...
from the Alberta New Democratic Party
Alberta New Democratic Party
The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a social-democratic political party in Alberta, Canada, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
. He was re-elected to the new riding of Edmonton Mill Creek
Edmonton Mill Creek
Edmonton Mill Creek is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.-Boundary history:- Members of the Legislative Assembly :-2004 general election:-2004 Senate nominee election district results:...
in the 1997 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1997
The Alberta general election of 1997 was the twenty-fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 11, 1997 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
.
In July 1998, he left the Liberal Party caucus and sat as an Independent member
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
after a dispute over fiscal policy. He joined the governing Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
a month later. In the 2001 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 2001
The Alberta general election of 2001 was the twenty-fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
he won by a generous margin over the Liberal challenger Bharat Agnihotri
Bharat Agnihotri
Bharat Agnihotri is a Canadian politician and a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He represented the constituency of Edmonton Ellerslie, sitting as a Liberal...
.
He was appointed to the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
as Minister of Community Development, after hanging on to his seat in the 2004 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 2004
The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
he was appointed Minister of Education.
On December 15, 2006, he was replaced in Premier Ed Stelmach
Ed Stelmach
Edward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
's cabinet by Ron Liepert
Ron Liepert
Ronald Liepert is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Calgary-West as a Progressive Conservative.-Early life:...
. He again joined the Alberta Cabinet on June 27, 2007 as Associate Minister for Capital Planning. , he is the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Deputy Government House Leader. He is also co-chair of the Advisory Council on Alberta-Ukraine Relations, co-chair of the Cabinet Policy Committee on Public Safety and Services, and a member of the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing.
Zwozdesky has won numerous awards from cultural and arts organizations, as well as the 2005 Alberta Centennial Medal.