Gene Zwozdesky

The Honourable
Gene Zwozdesky
MLA

Zwozdesky at a charity function in June 2013
12th Speaker of the Alberta Legislative Assembly[1]
In office
May 23, 2012 – June 11, 2015
Preceded by Ken Kowalski
Succeeded by Bob Wanner
MLA for Edmonton Mill Creek
In office
1997–2015
Preceded by New District
Succeeded by Denise Woollard (elect)
MLA for Edmonton Avonmore
In office
1993–1997
Preceded by Marie Laing
Succeeded by District Abolished
Personal details
Born (1948-07-24) July 24, 1948
Nipawin, Saskatchewan
Political party Progressive Conservative
Other political
affiliations		 Liberal (1993-1998)
Spouse(s) Christine Zwozdesky
Residence Edmonton
Occupation Teacher

Gene Zwozdesky, MLA (born July 24, 1948) is a politician and was the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada from 2012 to 2015.

Early life

Zwozdesky 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,[2] 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.[3]

Political career

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. As of 2008, 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.[3]

Zwozdesky has won numerous awards from cultural and arts organizations, as well as the 2005 Alberta Centennial Medal.[3]

Zwozdesky was re-elected in the 2012 provincial election as an incumbent PC candidate.

Electoral record

Alberta general election, 1997: Edmonton-Mill Creek
Party Candidate Votes%
LiberalGene Zwozdesky 6,757 51.91%
Progressive ConservativeSukhi Randhawa 3,679 28.27%
New DemocraticStephen Crocker 1,804 13.86%
Social CreditChristie Forget 776 5.96%
Total 13,016
Rejected, spoiled and declined 18
Eligible electors / Turnout 23,216 56.14%
Source: "1997 General Election". Elections Alberta. Retrieved January 26, 2012. 
Alberta general election, 2001: Edmonton-Mill Creek
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
Progressive ConservativeGene Zwozdesky 8,085 55.66% 27.39%
LiberalBharat Agnihotri 4,229 29.12% −22.79%
New DemocraticEdwin Villania 1,893 13.03% −0.83%
Alberta FirstKyle Harvey 220 1.51%
GreenHarlan Light 97 0.68%
Total 14,524
Rejected, spoiled and declined 53
Eligible electors / Turnout 26,307 55.41%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 25.09%
Source: "Grande Prairie-Wapiti Official Results 2001 Alberta general election" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved March 27, 2010. 
Alberta general election, 2004: Edmonton-Mill Creek
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
Progressive ConservativeGene Zwozdesky 5,070 42.08% -13.58%
LiberalAman Gill 4,289 35.60% 6.48%
New DemocraticNathan Taylor 1,709 14.18% 1.15%
Alberta AllianceRobert Alford 523 4.34%
GreenEric Stieglitz 386 3.20% 2.52%
IndependentCameron Johnson 72 0.60%
Total 12,049
Rejected, spoiled and declined 104
Eligible Electors / Turnout 24,41949.77%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -10.03%
Source: "Edmonton-Mill Creek Statement of Official Results 2004 Alberta general election" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved January 28, 2012. 
Alberta general election, 2008: Edmonton-Mill Creek
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
Progressive ConservativeGene Zwozdesky 6,857 50.79% 8.71%
LiberalAman Gill 4,058 30.05% -5.55%
New DemocraticStephen Anderson 1,822 13.49% -0.69%
GreenGlen Argan 726 5.37% 2.17%
CommunistNaomi Rankin 41 0.30%
Total 13,504
Rejected, spoiled and declined 127
Eligible electors / Turnout 32,55341.87%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 7.13%
Source: The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-seventh Legislative Assembly. Elections Alberta. July 28, 2008. pp. 320–323. 
Alberta general election, 2012: Edmonton-Mill Creek
Party Candidate Votes%
Progressive ConservativeGene Zwozdesky 6,633 55.07%
WildroseAdam Corsaut 2,193 18.21%
LiberalMike Butler 1,640 13.62%
New DemocraticEvelinne Teichgrabber 1,336 11.09%
Alberta PartyJudy Wilson 198 1.64%
CommunistNaomi Rankin 44 0.37%
Total 12,044
Source: http://results.elections.ab.ca/wtResultsPGE.htm
Alberta general election, 2015: Edmonton-Mill Creek
Party Candidate Votes%
New DemocraticDenise Woollard 9,023 55.9%
Progressive ConservativeGene Zwozdesky 3,849 23.8%
LiberalHarpreet Gill 1,916 11.9%
WildroseSaqib Raja 1,366 8.5%
Total

References

  1. ↑ "Premier Redford welcomes Gene Zwozdesky as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly". Government of Alberta. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  2. ↑ http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091122/EDM_shumka_091122/20091122?hub=EdmontonHome
  3. 1 2 3 https://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_bio&rnumber=37
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Order of precedence
Preceded by
Alison Redford, former premier of Alberta		 Order of precedence in Alberta
as of 2014 		Succeeded by
Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Canada
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