Michael Luchkovich
Member of Parliament for Vegreville
In office 1926 – 1935
Preceded by	Arthur Moren Boutillier
Succeeded by	William Hayhurst
Born	November 13, 1892 Shamokin, Pennsylvania, United States
Died	April 21, 1973
Political party	United Farmers Co-operative Commonwealth
Occupation	Teacher

Michael Luchkovich (November 13, 1892 Shamokin, Pennsylvania, United States - April 21, 1973) 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.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 Published works and honors 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Early life

His father immigrated from the Ukraine 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. ^[1]

[edit] Political career

Luchkovich ran as a United Farmers of Alberta candidate and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1926 Canadian federal election.^[2] His election made him the first person of Ukrainian decent 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.^[3] He was defeated by Social Credit candidate William Hayhurst in the 1935 Canadian federal election.^[4]

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.

[edit] 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.^[1]

He wrote to autobiographical works:

1. A Ukrainian Canadian in Parliament. Toronto : Ukrainian Canadian Research Foundation, 1965. 128 p.
2. 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 decent who perform exemplary public service.^[5]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Michael Luchkovich Federal Political Experience
• The Michael Luchkovich Scholarships For Career Development