Andrew Shandro (Alberta politician)
Encyclopedia
Andrew S. Shandro was the first Ukrainian Canadian
to be elected to the Alberta Legislature. Shandro was the son of Stefan Shandro and his wife, Nostansi (née Ostasheko). He was of Ukrainian
descent and a member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
. His grandfather was a judge and an uncle was a general in the Austro-Hungarian army. He migrated to Canada
in 1898 with his parents and settled northeast of Andrew, Alberta
. He became a prominent farmer
and was postmaster
of a rural community that bore his family's name (Shandro, Alberta).
In 1905 Shandro married Rose Hawrelak, daughter of Nicoli Hawrelak of Bukowina. They had six children. (One of his daughters, Pearl, married William Hawrelak
, who died in 1975 while serving as mayor of Edmonton.) Educated at Edmonton Business College, Shandro became a federal homestead inspector in 1907.
Shandro ran as a candidate for the Alberta Liberal Party
for the riding of Whitford
in 1913
. Shandro won, but the election was declared void by the courts. However, Shandro was re-elected in the March 15, 1915, by-election
, and was acclaimed in 1917
by act of the Legislature which allowed for all members of the Assembly serving in the war to be automatically returned to their seats in the Legislature. He served as a lieutenant in the Canadian Army
during World War I
.
In 1921
Shandro was returned by acclimation for Whitford
, but the courts again declared the election void and a by-election
writ was issued. This time Shandro was defeated in the Whitford by-election, which took place on July 10, 1922. He unsuccessfully contested the 1926
and 1935
Alberta
elections.
Ukrainian Canadian
A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. In 2006, there were an estimated 1,209,085 persons residing in Canada of Ukrainian origin, making them Canada's ninth largest ethnic group; and giving Canada the world's third-largest...
to be elected to the Alberta Legislature. Shandro was the son of Stefan Shandro and his wife, Nostansi (née Ostasheko). He was of Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
descent and a member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada is an Eastern Orthodox Church in Canada, primarily serving Ukrainian Canadians. Its former name was the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada ...
. His grandfather was a judge and an uncle was a general in the Austro-Hungarian army. He migrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1898 with his parents and settled northeast of Andrew, Alberta
Andrew, Alberta
-External links:**...
. He became a prominent farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
and was postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of a rural community that bore his family's name (Shandro, Alberta).
In 1905 Shandro married Rose Hawrelak, daughter of Nicoli Hawrelak of Bukowina. They had six children. (One of his daughters, Pearl, married William Hawrelak
William Hawrelak
William Hawrelak was a politician in Alberta, Canada, the longest-serving mayor in Edmonton's history, and a candidate for election to the Canadian House of Commons.-Early life:...
, who died in 1975 while serving as mayor of Edmonton.) Educated at Edmonton Business College, Shandro became a federal homestead inspector in 1907.
Shandro ran as a candidate for the Alberta Liberal Party
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
for the riding of Whitford
Whitford (provincial electoral district)
Whitford was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district was created in 1913 out of the south west part of the Pakan district and the north part of Vegreville.In 1940 the district was split between Redwater, Willingdon and Vegreville....
in 1913
Alberta general election, 1913
The Alberta general election of 1913 was the third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The writ was dropped on 25 March 1913 and election day was held 17 April 1913 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Elections in two northern districts took place on 30 July...
. Shandro won, but the election was declared void by the courts. However, Shandro was re-elected in the March 15, 1915, by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, and was acclaimed in 1917
Alberta general election, 1917
The Alberta general election of 1917 was the fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, held on 7 June 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
by act of the Legislature which allowed for all members of the Assembly serving in the war to be automatically returned to their seats in the Legislature. He served as a lieutenant in the Canadian Army
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In 1921
Alberta general election, 1921
The Alberta general election of 1921 was the fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on July 18, 1921 to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly....
Shandro was returned by acclimation for Whitford
Whitford (provincial electoral district)
Whitford was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district was created in 1913 out of the south west part of the Pakan district and the north part of Vegreville.In 1940 the district was split between Redwater, Willingdon and Vegreville....
, but the courts again declared the election void and a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
writ was issued. This time Shandro was defeated in the Whitford by-election, which took place on July 10, 1922. He unsuccessfully contested the 1926
Alberta general election, 1926
The Alberta general election of 1926 was the sixth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 28, 1926 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The writs of election were issued on May 10, 1926 allowing for an election period of 40 days.After Herbert...
and 1935
Alberta general election, 1935
The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
elections.
See also
- Ukrainian Cultural Heritage VillageUkrainian Cultural Heritage VillageThe Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is an open-air museum that uses costumed historical interpreters to recreate pioneer settlements in east central Alberta, Canada. In particular it shows the lives of Ukrainian Canadian settlers from the years 1899 to 1930...
- List of Canadian place names of Ukrainian origin