ED EWASIUK

'Ed W. Ewasiuk' was a labour activist, a city councilor in Edmonton, Alberta and a NDP Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He was born on September 24, 1933 in Vegreville, Alberta.
Ewasiuk, a native of Edmonton of Ukrianian descent was a labour activist with what is now the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union. He served as a president of his local and then as a national vice-president. In 1980, he ran for city council in Edmonton's East End as part of the now-defunct Edmonton Voters' Association municipal party. and won, and was re-elected in 1983.
In the 1986 Alberta Election, Ewasiuk stood for MLA as a New Democrat in the northeast riding of Edmonton-Beverly. He won easily, garnering almost 60% of the vote, in a NDP sweep of Edmonton under Ray Martin's leadership. He defeated powerful PC Cabinet minister Bill Diachuk.
In City Hall and Legislature, Ewasiuk gained a reputation as a devout advocate of reducing poverty and workers' rights.
In 1989, Ewasiuk was re-elected with 50% of the vote, but was defeated in 1993. Ewasiuk passed away in 2006. In 2007, a memorial bench for Ewasiuk was unveiled by the NDP and the CEP union facing Edmonton City Hall.