Edward William "Eddie" Ewasiuk (September 24, 1933 – April 14, 2006) was a labour activist, a city councilor in Edmonton, Alberta and a NDP Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He was born in Vegreville, Alberta.
Ed Ewasiuk | |
|---|---|
| MLA for Edmonton-Beverly | |
| In office 1986–1993 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Diachuk |
| Succeeded by | district abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 24, 1933 Vegreville, Alberta, Canada |
| Died | April 14, 2006 (aged 72) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Political party | Alberta New Democratic Party |
Early life
editEwasiuk was born on September 24, 1933, in Vegreville, Alberta. He was born to parents of Ukrainian descent. Ewasiuk was a labour activist with what was the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union. He served as a president of his local and then as a national vice-president. In 1980, he ran for city council in Edmonton's Northeast Ward 3 as part of the now-defunct Edmonton Voters' Association municipal party. and won, and was re-elected in 1983.
Provincial politics
editIn the 1986 Alberta general election, Ewasiuk stood for MLA as a New Democrat in the northeast riding of Edmonton-Beverly. He won easily, garnering almost 60% of the vote, in an NDP sweep of Edmonton under Ray Martin's leadership. He defeated powerful PC Cabinet minister Bill Diachuk.
In City Hall and Legislature, Ewasiuk gained a reputation as a devout advocate of workers' rights and reducing poverty.
In the 1989 Alberta general election, Ewasiuk was re-elected with 50% of the vote. He was defeated in the 1993 Alberta general election by Julius Yankowsky in the new electoral district of Edmonton-Beverly-Belmont after his old electoral district of Edmonton-Beverly was redistributed.
Late life and legacy
editEwasiuk died suddenly at his home in Edmonton in 2006.[1][2] In 2007, a memorial bench for Ewasiuk was unveiled by the NDP and the CEP union facing Edmonton City Hall.
References
edit- ^ Life & Times:: [Final Edition] Sadava, Mike. Edmonton Journal [Edmonton, Alta] 20 Apr 2006: B1 FRONT.
- ^ "Legislative Assembly Office - 2006 Annual Report" (PDF). Assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved 2012-08-10.