Bill Bonko
Encyclopedia
Bill Bonko is a Canadian
politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
. He was first elected in the 2004 election
as a Liberal
in Edmonton Decore
, but was defeated in his 2008 re-election bid by Progressive Conservative
Janice Sarich
.
. He worked for fifteen years as the circulation manager for the Edmonton Journal
.
, when he was elected to the Board of Edmonton Public Schools
as trustee for Ward A. He was re-elected in the 1998
and 2001
elections. He did not seek re-election at the conclusion of his third term. Instead, he ran for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
in Edmonton Decore
in the 2004 provincial election
as a Liberal
. He won 44.63% of the vote and defeated his opponents, who included former MLA Walter Szwender
who was running for the Progressive Conservatives
and Gary Masyk
, an incumbent MLA whose riding had been abolished and who had crossed the floor to become the Alberta Alliance's first MLA after being elected as PC. He did not sponsor any bills during his time in the legislature, and was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Janice Sarich
in the 2008 election.
in the 2008 provincial election.
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...
politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
. He was first elected in the 2004 election
Alberta general election, 2004
The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
as a Liberal
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...
in Edmonton Decore
Edmonton Decore
Edmonton-Decore is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It is one of 83 districts mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
, but was defeated in his 2008 re-election bid by Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
Janice Sarich
Janice Sarich
Janice Sarich is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Edmonton-Decore as a Progressive Conservative.-Early life:...
.
Early life
Bill Bonko graduated from Queen Elizabeth High SchoolQueen Elizabeth High School (Edmonton)
Queen Elizabeth Composite High School, located in north Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is a senior high school in the Edmonton Public School System.-Academic programs:The school has advanced placement classes...
. He worked for fifteen years as the circulation manager for the Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Journal
The Edmonton Journal is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network.-History:The Journal was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as a rival to Alberta's first newspaper, the 23-year-old...
.
Political career
Bonko first sought political office in the 1995 municipal electionEdmonton municipal election, 1995
The 1995 municipal election was held October 16, 1995 to elect a mayor and twelve aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council, nine trustees to sit on the public school board, and seven trustees to sit on the separate school board...
, when he was elected to the Board of Edmonton Public Schools
Edmonton Public Schools
Edmonton Public Schools is the largest public school district in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The district offers a variety of alternative and special needs programs, and many are offered in multiple locations to improve accessibility for students...
as trustee for Ward A. He was re-elected in the 1998
Edmonton municipal election, 1998
The 1998 municipal election was held October 26, 1998 to elect a mayor and twelve councillors to sit on Edmonton City Council, nine trustees to sit on the public school board, and seven trustees to sit on the separate school board...
and 2001
Edmonton municipal election, 2001
The 2001 Edmonton municipal election was held on October 15, 2001 to elect a mayor and twelve councilors to sit on Edmonton City Council, nine trustees to sit on the public school board, seven trustees to sit on the separate school board, and seven members of the Capital Health Board of...
elections. He did not seek re-election at the conclusion of his third term. Instead, he ran for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
in Edmonton Decore
Edmonton Decore
Edmonton-Decore is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It is one of 83 districts mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
in the 2004 provincial election
Alberta general election, 2004
The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
as a Liberal
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...
. He won 44.63% of the vote and defeated his opponents, who included former MLA Walter Szwender
Walter Szwender
Walter R. Szwender is a former provincial level politician and teacher from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1982 until 1986.-Political career:...
who was running for the Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
and Gary Masyk
Gary Masyk
Gary Masyk is a businessman and politician in Alberta, Canada.Born in High Prairie, Masyk owned Garco Oilfield Service and Masyk Lumber Company before entering politics...
, an incumbent MLA whose riding had been abolished and who had crossed the floor to become the Alberta Alliance's first MLA after being elected as PC. He did not sponsor any bills during his time in the legislature, and was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Janice Sarich
Janice Sarich
Janice Sarich is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Edmonton-Decore as a Progressive Conservative.-Early life:...
in the 2008 election.
Personal life
Bonko is married to Michele; the pair has two children, including Bill Jr. who ran as a Liberal candidate in Athabasca-RedwaterAthabasca-Redwater
Athabasca-Redwater is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 83 mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
in the 2008 provincial election.
Election results
| 2008 Election Results (Edmonton Decore Edmonton Decore Edmonton-Decore is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It is one of 83 districts mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting.... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 35.1% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Janice Sarich Janice Sarich Janice Sarich is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Edmonton-Decore as a Progressive Conservative.-Early life:... |
4,602 | 45.93% |
Liberal 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... |
Bill Bonko | 3,879 | 38.72% |
NDP Alberta New Democratic Party The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a social-democratic political party in Alberta, Canada, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... |
Sidney Sadik | 1,295 | 12.93% |
Green | Trey Capenhurst | 243 | 2.43% | |||||
| 2004 Alberta general election, 2004 The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... Election Results (Edmonton Decore Edmonton Decore Edmonton-Decore is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It is one of 83 districts mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting.... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 43.4% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Liberal 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... |
Bill Bonko | 4,418 | 44.63% |
Progressive Conservative | Walter Szwender Walter Szwender Walter R. Szwender is a former provincial level politician and teacher from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1982 until 1986.-Political career:... |
3,033 | 30.63% |
NDP Alberta New Democratic Party The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a social-democratic political party in Alberta, Canada, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... |
Shirley Barg | 1,524 | 15.40% |
Alberta Alliance Alberta Alliance Party The Alberta Alliance was a right wing provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Many of its members were former supporters of the now-defunct Canadian Alliance federal political party and its predecessor, the Reform Party of Canada. Members also joined from such other provincial fringe parties... |
Gary Masyk Gary Masyk Gary Masyk is a businessman and politician in Alberta, Canada.Born in High Prairie, Masyk owned Garco Oilfield Service and Masyk Lumber Company before entering politics... |
830 | 8.39% |
Social Credit | Geoffrey Chevrier | 94 | 0.95% | |
| 2001 Edmonton municipal election Edmonton municipal election, 2001 The 2001 Edmonton municipal election was held on October 15, 2001 to elect a mayor and twelve councilors to sit on Edmonton City Council, nine trustees to sit on the public school board, seven trustees to sit on the separate school board, and seven members of the Capital Health Board of... results (Public School Trustee, Ward A) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Candidate | Votes | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bill Bonko | 6,769 | 62.1% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bev Esslinger | 4,136 | 37.9% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 Edmonton municipal election Edmonton municipal election, 1998 The 1998 municipal election was held October 26, 1998 to elect a mayor and twelve councillors to sit on Edmonton City Council, nine trustees to sit on the public school board, and seven trustees to sit on the separate school board... results (Public School Trustee, Ward A) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Candidate | Votes | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bill Bonko | 4,867 | 48.3% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bev Esslinger | 3,325 | 33.0% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lynette Young | 1,883 | 18.7% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 Edmonton municipal election Edmonton municipal election, 1995 The 1995 municipal election was held October 16, 1995 to elect a mayor and twelve aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council, nine trustees to sit on the public school board, and seven trustees to sit on the separate school board... results (Public School Trustee, Ward A) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Candidate | Votes | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bill Bonko | 4,480 | 33.5% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maureen Ford | 2,441 | 18.2% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cathy Kutryk | 2,175 | 16.3% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joe Hak | 1,933 | 14.5% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Larry Phillips | 800 | 6.0% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Perry Dane | 565 | 4.2% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Victor Varvis | 559 | 4.2% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dan McAra | 428 | 3.2% | ||||||||||||||||||||||