Thomas Lukaszuk:
Thomas Lukaszuk (born April 5, 1969 in Gdynia, Poland) is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Edmonton-Castle Downs as a Progressive Conservative.
[edit] Early life
Lukaszuk was raised in north Edmonton and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Alberta and became a teacher with the Edmonton Catholic School District before starting up Injured Workers Advocates Inc. (IWA), a firm designed to assist injured workers with work-related injury claims. He was also active in policymaking, serving on the Social Care Facilities Review Committee; the Citizens Appeal Panel (chair), which led to government policy changes to social benefits; and the Alberta Lotteries Review Committee. He conducted a review of Alberta daycares, foster homes, group homes and homeless shelters for the Minister of Children's Services.[1]
[edit] Political career
Former Edmonton-Castle Downs MLA Pamela Paul's retirement opened the door for Lukaszuk to win the constituency. Garnering 5,971 votes in the 2001 provincial election, he was able to increase the Progressive Conservative vote share to 51 per cent, up from the 40 per cent Ihor Broda polled in losing to Paul in 1997. Upon his election, he became the first ever Polish-born person to be elected to a Canadian legislature.[2]
In his first term in office, Lukaszuk sponsored Bill 204, a private members bill known as the Blood Samples Act, which passed third reading on March 31, 2004 and was passed into law on May 11, 2004. The act granted authority to Good Samaritans, front-line emergency workers, police officers, fire fighters, correctional officers, and health service providers to seek an order from the justice system to take a blood sample from a person who has refused to give their consent. The act intended to protect individuals who believe they had come into contact with the body fluid of a person who is infected with a virus that causes a prescribed communicable disease.[3]
In the 2004 provincial election, Lukaszuk was originally declared defeated by the Liberals' Chris Kibermanis, a former draft pick of the NHL's Winnipeg Jets. Election night results showed Kibermanis winning by a five-vote margin over Lukaszuk. An automatic judicial recount confirmed Kibermanis's win by three votes rather than five, and Kibermanis was declared the winner by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. However, the Progressive Conservative Party appealed the recount to the Alberta Court of Appeals, which disputed a number o previously rejected ballots, giving Lukaszuk a three-vote margin of victory.[2] The ordeal earned Lukaszuk the moniker "Landslide Lukaszuk," which has been ascribed to him in the local media. Kibermanis again challenged Lukaszuk in the 2008 provincial election, but was defeated by 2,080 votes.[4][5]
In his time as an MLA, Lukaszuk has served on a total of 21 legislative committees, chairing six of them. After being elected to his third term in 2008, Premier Ed Stelmach named him parliamentary assistant to Municipal Affairs Minister Ray Danyluk.
[edit] Personal life
Lukaszuk enjoys travelling, reading and participating in child-based activities. He coached soccer through the Edmonton Northwood Community League, has been a Scout leader and is a strong supporter of the Hope Foundation. He is a past president of the Youth Friendship Society and a Knight of Columbus. He has been decorated with the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal for his community service and the Alberta Centennial Medal for his contributions to the province.[1]
[edit] Election results
[edit] External links
[edit] References
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