Michael Luchkovich
Encyclopedia
Michael Luchkovich was a teacher, author and Canadian federal politician. He served as a Canada's first Member of Parliament of Ukrainian origin from 1926 to 1935.
to Pennsylvania
where he worked as a miner and where Michael was born and spent his first ten years. The family then moved to Canada
where Michael's father operated a hotel.
Michael Luchkovich graduated high school in Winnipeg, Manitoba and then studied at the University of Calgary
where he obtained a political science degree and at the Calgary Normal School
where he earned his qualifications as a teacher.
candidate and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1926 Canadian federal election
. His election made him the first person of Ukrainian descent to be elected to Federal Parliament and he became a national spokesman for Canada's 200,000 Ukrainians speaking against discrimination. He ran for re-election in the 1930 Canadian federal election
defeating Liberal challenger Charles Gorden by a 1010 vote plurality to win his second term in office. He was defeated by Social Credit
candidate William Hayhurst
in the 1935 Canadian federal election
.
He was a founding member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
and it was a standard-bearer of the new party that he was defeated in the 1935 election.
He wrote to autobiographical works:
The Michael Luchkovich Scholarships For Career Development is named in his honor and awarded 3 times each year.
An award in Michael Luchkovich's name was created in 1986 and given annually to Alberta parliamentarians of Ukrainian descent who perform exemplary public service.
Early life
His father immigrated from the UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
where he worked as a miner and where Michael was born and spent his first ten years. The family then moved to 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...
where Michael's father operated a hotel.
Michael Luchkovich graduated high school in Winnipeg, Manitoba and then studied at the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
where he obtained a political science degree and at the Calgary Normal School
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
where he earned his qualifications as a teacher.
Political career
Luchkovich ran as a United Farmers of AlbertaUnited Farmers of Alberta
The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary...
candidate and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1926 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1926
The Canadian federal election of 1926 was held on September 14 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 16th Parliament of Canada. The election was called following an event known as the King-Byng Affair...
. His election made him the first person of Ukrainian descent to be elected to Federal Parliament and he became a national spokesman for Canada's 200,000 Ukrainians speaking against discrimination. He ran for re-election in the 1930 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1930
The Canadian federal election of 1930 was held on July 28, 1930 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 17th Parliament of Canada...
defeating Liberal challenger Charles Gorden by a 1010 vote plurality to win his second term in office. He was defeated by Social Credit
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
candidate William Hayhurst
William Hayhurst
William Hayhurst was a farmer, principal, teacher, businessman and a Canadian federal politician. He was born in Lyvennet Mill, Morland, England and died in Toronto, Ontario....
in the 1935 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1935
The Canadian federal election of 1935 was held on October 14, 1935 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 18th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of William Lyon Mackenzie King won a majority government, defeating Prime Minister R.B. Bennett's Conservative Party.The central...
.
He was a founding member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
and it was a standard-bearer of the new party that he was defeated in the 1935 election.
Published works and honors
Luchkovich also was a writer and translator of Ukrainian literature into English and edited Their Land, an anthology of Ukrainian short stories.He wrote to autobiographical works:
- A Ukrainian Canadian in Parliament. Toronto : Ukrainian Canadian Research Foundation, 1965. 128 p.
- My memoirs, 1892-1962. s.l . : s.n., 1963?. 204 leaves.
The Michael Luchkovich Scholarships For Career Development is named in his honor and awarded 3 times each year.
An award in Michael Luchkovich's name was created in 1986 and given annually to Alberta parliamentarians of Ukrainian descent who perform exemplary public service.