William Yurko
Encyclopedia
William Yurko, MLA, MP, (February 11, 1926 – February 2, 2010) was a Canadian politician, and member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
and the Canadian House of Commons
.
Yurko was born in 1926 in Boian, Alberta
of Romanian
and Ukrainian
descent. He served two years in the Canadian Air Force during World War II
, then graduated with distinction as a Chemical Engineer from the University of Alberta
. He worked for 17 years (six of them within the Atomic Energy of Canada
) before 1969, when he entered politics.
He was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
in the Strathcona East
riding by-election on February 10, 1969 following the resignation of Premier Ernest Manning
.
He was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the Edmonton Gold Bar
riding in 1971 and re-elected in 1975.
In 1979 he was elected to the House of Commons for the Edmonton East
riding as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
, and he held the seat until 1984, when he ran as an Independent
for the same riding, but lost to William Lesick
.
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
and 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...
.
Yurko was born in 1926 in Boian, Alberta
Boian, Alberta
Boian, is an unincorporated community in Alberta, Canada. It is located in the floodplain of the North Saskatchewan River, 6 km east of Willingdon, in Two Hills County...
of Romanian
Romanian Canadian
According to the Canadian Census data of 2006, there are almost 200,000 Romanian-Canadians. Some sources estimates that this number might be as high as cca. 400,000 Canadians of Romanian descent.- Before World War I:...
and Ukrainian
Ukrainian Canadian
A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. In 2006, there were an estimated 1,209,085 persons residing in Canada of Ukrainian origin, making them Canada's ninth largest ethnic group; and giving Canada the world's third-largest...
descent. He served two years in the Canadian Air Force during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, then graduated with distinction as a Chemical Engineer 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...
. He worked for 17 years (six of them within the Atomic Energy of Canada
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited or AECL is a Canadian federal Crown corporation and Canada's largest nuclear science and technology laboratory...
) before 1969, when he entered politics.
He was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
in the Strathcona East
Strathcona East
Strathcona East was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The riding was created in 1959, out of the Edmonton district when it broke up into nine ridings.In 1971 the riding was split between Edmonton-Gold Bar and Edmonton Ottewell...
riding by-election on February 10, 1969 following the resignation of Premier Ernest Manning
Ernest Manning
Ernest Charles Manning, , a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any premier in the province's history, and was the second longest serving provincial premier in Canadian history...
.
He was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the Edmonton Gold Bar
Edmonton Gold Bar
Edmonton-Gold Bar is a provincial electoral district, in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 83 in the province mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
riding in 1971 and re-elected in 1975.
In 1979 he was elected to the House of Commons for the Edmonton East
Edmonton East
Edmonton East is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1917.The district includes a portion of the city of Edmonton.-Geography:...
riding as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
, and he held the seat until 1984, when he ran as an Independent
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...
for the same riding, but lost to William Lesick
William Lesick
William Lesick was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was a pharmacist by career....
.
- In 1971, he held the portfolio of Environment Minister in the Alberta CabinetExecutive Council of AlbertaThe Executive Council of Alberta is the cabinet of that Canadian province.Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the Cabinet of Canada while being smaller in size...
. - In 1977, he held the portfolio of Housing and Public Works Minister.
- 1979-1984, he was a Member of Parliament in the 31st31st Canadian ParliamentThe 31st Canadian Parliament was a briefly lived parliament in session from October 9 until December 14, 1979. The membership was set by the 1979 federal election on May 22, 1979, and it was dissolved after the minority government of Joe Clark failed to pass a Motion of Confidence on December 13,...
and 32nd Canadian Parliament32nd Canadian ParliamentThe 32nd Canadian Parliament was in session from April 14, 1980 until July 9, 1984. The membership was set by the 1980 federal election on February 18, 1980, and it only changed slightly due to resignations and by-elections prior to being dissolved before the 1984 election.It was controlled by a...
s. - On September 23, 1983, he tabled Bill C-691 (and on March 14, 1984 tried again with Bill C-228) to pardon Louis RielLouis RielLouis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
. The act was not passed until 1992. - After 1985 he was a Member of the Senate and Board of Governors of the University of AlbertaUniversity of AlbertaThe 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...
.