John Kushner
Encyclopedia
John Kushner was a Canadian federal and provincial level politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1975 to 1979 and then served as a Member of Parliament from 1979 until his death in 1984. He sat with the Progressive Conservative caucus on both the provincial and federal level.
on June 22, 1923. Prior to his political career he worked as a security officer.
. He ran as a Progressive Conservative in the new electoral district of Calgary-McCall candidate and finished in second place out of four candidates losing to Social Credit candidate George Ho Lem
.
Kushner made a second attempt to run for provincial office, this time running in the electoral district of Calgary-Mountain View in the 1975 Alberta general election
. He defeated long time Social Credit
incumbent Albert Ludwig
and three other candidates in a hotly contested race to pickup the seat for the governing Progressive Conservative party.
Kushner served one term in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
before jumping to federal politics. He ran for a seat to the Canadian House of Commons
in the federal electoral district of Calgary East
in the 1979 Canadian federal election
. He faced off against Ludwig who ran as a candidate for the federal Liberals
and future Alberta MLA Barry Pashak
and four other candidates. He won the district by a near landslide taking over 60% of the popular vote to pickup the new seat for the federal Progressive Conservatives
.
The minority government of Premier Joe Clark
fell less than a year later which forced the 1980 federal election
to take place. Kushner ran against Ludwig and Pashak in a virtual rerun of the 1979 race. His margin of victory dropped by almost 10% but he still won the district by a wide margin defeating the seven other candidates in the race.
Kushner died late into his term on March 2, 1984.
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...
from 1975 to 1979 and then served as a Member of Parliament from 1979 until his death in 1984. He sat with the Progressive Conservative caucus on both the provincial and federal level.
Early life
John Kushner was born in PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
on June 22, 1923. Prior to his political career he worked as a security officer.
Political career
Kushner ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1971 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1971
The Alberta general election of 1971 was the seventeenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 30, 1971 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He ran as a Progressive Conservative in the new electoral district of Calgary-McCall candidate and finished in second place out of four candidates losing to Social Credit candidate George Ho Lem
George Ho Lem
George Ho Lem Sr. was a politician, business man and community leader from Alberta, Canada. To most people he is known as a great man serving many years as a Calgary Alderman but to those people who are part of the inner Chinatown Circle know him as "The Traitor of the Chinese".- Early life...
.
Kushner made a second attempt to run for provincial office, this time running in the electoral district of Calgary-Mountain View in the 1975 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1975
The Alberta general election of 1975 was the eighteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 25, 1975 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He defeated long time Social Credit
Social Credit Party of Alberta
The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values....
incumbent Albert Ludwig
Albert Ludwig
Albert Ludwig was a long serving politician and World War II combat veteran, layer judge and current author from Alberta, Canada.-Early life:Ludwig was born in 1919 in Melfort, Saskatchewan...
and three other candidates in a hotly contested race to pickup the seat for the governing Progressive Conservative party.
Kushner served one term in 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...
before jumping to federal politics. He ran for a seat to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the federal electoral district of Calgary East
Calgary East
Calgary East is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1953, 1979 to 1988, and since 1997...
in the 1979 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
. He faced off against Ludwig who ran as a candidate for the federal Liberals
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and future Alberta MLA Barry Pashak
Barry Pashak
Barry Leonard Pashak is a former college instructor and a Canadian provincial and federal level politician. He served as member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 to 1993 sitting with the opposition New Democratic Party caucus...
and four other candidates. He won the district by a near landslide taking over 60% of the popular vote to pickup the new seat for the federal Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
.
The minority government of Premier Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
fell less than a year later which forced the 1980 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
to take place. Kushner ran against Ludwig and Pashak in a virtual rerun of the 1979 race. His margin of victory dropped by almost 10% but he still won the district by a wide margin defeating the seven other candidates in the race.
Kushner died late into his term on March 2, 1984.