Martha Bielish
Encyclopedia
Martha Palamarek Bielish (October 20, 1915 – May 18, 2010) was a politician, farmer, feminist, and teacher from Alberta
, Canada
. She served as a member of the Senate of Canada sitting with the Progressive Conservative
caucus from 1979 to 1990.
, Alberta
. She served in politics on the municipal level as an elected School Trustee.
Bielish ran for a seat to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
in the 1959 Alberta general election
as a provincial Progressive Conservative
candidate in the electoral district of Redwater
. She was defeated finishing a distant third place in the three way race losing to Social Credit candidate John Dubetz
and finishing behind incumbent MLA Alfred Macyk
who finished second.
on September 27, 1979 and served her full term until mandatory retirement on September 26, 1990. She was the first Ukrainian-Canadian female senator ever appointed.
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...
, 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...
. She served as a member of the Senate of Canada sitting with the Progressive Conservative
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....
caucus from 1979 to 1990.
Early life
Bielish was born in 1915 in WarspiteWarspite, Alberta
Warspite is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Smoky Lake County. It is located on Highway 28, between the Town of Smoky Lake and Village of Waskatenau. It has an elevation of ....
, 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...
. She served in politics on the municipal level as an elected School Trustee.
Bielish ran for a seat to 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 the 1959 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1959
The Alberta general election of 1959 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 18, 1959 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
as a provincial 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...
candidate in the electoral district of Redwater
Redwater (provincial electoral district)
Redwater was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada from 1940 until 1971 and again from 1993 until 2004.-MLAs:The district elected the following members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta:-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
. She was defeated finishing a distant third place in the three way race losing to Social Credit candidate John Dubetz
John Dubetz
John Dubetz was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1959 to 1963 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:...
and finishing behind incumbent MLA Alfred Macyk
Alfred Macyk
Alfred Macyk was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1955 to 1959 sitting with the Liberal caucus in opposition.-Political career:...
who finished second.
Senate career
Bielish was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the advice of Joe ClarkJoe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
on September 27, 1979 and served her full term until mandatory retirement on September 26, 1990. She was the first Ukrainian-Canadian female senator ever appointed.