William Yurko

William (Vasile) Yurko, MLA, MP (born February 11, 1926), was a Canadian politician, active in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the Canadian House of Commons.

William Yurko was born in 1926 in Boian, Alberta of Romanian and Ukrainian descent. He served two years in the Canadian Air Force during World War II [ [http://collections.ic.gc.ca/heirloom_series/volume7/countries/romania4.html Short biography] ] , then graduated as a Chemical Engineer from the University of Alberta. He worked for 17 years (six of them within the Atomic Energy of Canada) before 1969, when he entered politcs. He was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party and Independent (after 1982).

He was elected MLA in the Strathcona East riding by-election on February 10, 1969 following the resignation of Ernest Manning.

He was elected in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the Edmonton Gold Bar riding in 1971 and re-elected in 1975.

In 1979 he was elected in the Canadian House of Commons [ [http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/bio.asp?Language=E&query=1847&s=M Government of Canada - MP profile] ] for the Edmonton East riding on behalf of the Progressive Conservative Party, and he held the seat until 1984, when he run as an Independent for the same riding, but lost to William Lesick.

*In 1971 he held the portfolio of Environment Minister in the Alberta Cabinet.
*In 1977 he held the portfolio of Housing and Public Works Minister.
*1979-1984 MP in the 31st and 32nd Canadian Parliament.
*On September 23, 1983 he tabled Bill C-691 (and on March 14, 1984 tried again with Bill C-228) to pardon Louis David Riel [ [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/riel/revokeconv.html Act to revoke the conviction of Louis Riel] ] . The act was not passed until 1992.
*After 1985 he was a Member of the Senate and Board of Governors of the University of Alberta.

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