Michael Kawchuk (April 23, 1931 – January 24, 2021) was a Canadian politician in Manitoba. He was a member of the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba () is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at List of Manitoba genera ...

from 1966 to 1969, sitting as a member of the

New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party (NDP; , ) is a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as social democratic,The party is widely described as social democratic: * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Editors of ''Encyclopædia Britann ...

. The first son of Nicholas Kawchuk and Annie Baran, Kawchuk was educated at the Brandon Agricultural College and the

University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1877, it is the first university of Western Canada. Both by total student enrolment and campus area, the University of ...

. He worked as a farmer, and became a director on the Pool Elevator Board and the Manitoba Farmer's Union. He also served as Secretary–Treasurer of his local school district. In 1957, he married Nettie Frykas; they had four children together. Kawchuk was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1966, defeating

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

William Paziuk by 64 votes in the rural riding of Ethelbert Plains. He supported

Edward Schreyer Edward Richard Schreyer (born December 21, 1935) is a Canadian politician, diplomat, and statesman who served as the 22nd governor general of Canada from 1979 to 1984. He previously served as the 16th premier of Manitoba from 1969 to 1977. Schr ...

's bid to become party leader in 1968–69. Kawchuk lost to fellow incumbent Progressive Conservative

Wally McKenzie James Wallace McKenzie (June 16, 1914 in Plenty, Saskatchewan, Plenty, Saskatchewan – September 11, 1999) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba, Progressive Conservative member of the Legislat ...

by 171 votes in the 1969 election, in the redistributed riding of Roblin, which McKenzie had represented. After losing his provincial seat, Kawchuk was elected as mayor of

Gilbert Plains, Manitoba Gilbert Plains is an unincorporated urban community in the Gilbert Plains Municipality, Manitoba, Canada, that was classified as a List of towns in Manitoba, town prior to January 1, 2015. It is situated on the Valley River (Manitoba), Valley ...

, serving one term from 1969 to 1973. Kawchuk died in

Brandon, Manitoba Brandon () is the second-largest city in the province of Manitoba, Canada. It is located in the southwestern corner of the province on the banks of the Assiniboine River, approximately west of the provincial capital, Winnipeg, and east of the ...

on January 24, 2021, at the age of 89.

References

1931 births 2021 deaths Businesspeople from Manitoba Canadian people of Ukrainian descent New Democratic Party of Manitoba MLAs University of Manitoba alumni 20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba {{Manitoba-MLA-stub