Laverne Lewycky

Summary

Laverne Mitchell Lewycky (12 February 1946 – 3 August 2020)[1] was a Canadian politician and New Democratic Party member of the House of Commons of Canada. He was a professor of sociology and communication studies, who also served as an executive assistant and consultant to governments and other organizations by career.

Laverne Lewycky
Member of Parliament
for Dauphin
In office
1980–1984
Preceded byGordon Ritchie
Succeeded byBrian White
Personal details
Born(1946-02-12)12 February 1946
Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada
Died3 August 2020(2020-08-03) (aged 74)
Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseLois (Reimer) Lewycky
Professionexecutive assistant, professor

He represented Manitoba's Dauphin electoral district for one term in the 32nd Canadian Parliament. Following two attempts at the riding in 1974 and 1979, he succeeded in the 1980 federal election. His political portfolio was multiculturalism. Lewycky served on Constitution Committee, Special Parliamentary Committee on Participation of Visible Minorities in Canadian Society, and standing committees on management and members' services, privileges and elections, agriculture, miscellaneous estimates as well as the Special Joint Committee on Official Languages. His private member's bill changed the name of the riding from Dauphin to Dauphin-Swan River. Lewycky left national politics to do doctoral studies after the 1984 election.

Professionally, as an educator, Lewycky was a university and college professor who taught in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. As a consultant, he worked as an internal communications advisor and an advanced communications officer with various federal government departments such as Health Canada and Canada Revenue Agency. As a public speaker, he has been a Dale Carnegie Public Speaking Courses instructor in Winnipeg and Montreal. Additionally, he has served as a distinguished toastmaster (DTM) in Manitoba, New Brunswick and Ontario. Currently he works out of Dauphin, Manitoba.

Educationally, he graduated from the Dauphin Collegiate & Technical Institute (DCTI). He then graduated from the University of Manitoba with his B.A. (Hons.) and M.A. degrees. He has done doctoral studies at McGill University, Carleton University and Providence Seminary. He has published various chapters in books and peer-reviewed journals, especially in the area of multiculturalism. He was a Parliamentary Committee Member that authored the milestone report, Equality Now! He also served as a consultant for the Standing Committee on Multiculturalism that produced Multiculturalism: Building the Canadian Mosaic.

As an ordained minister, Lewycky has served congregations in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Inter-denominationally, he has also provided pulpit supply, and been an officiant for baptisms, marriages and funerals. He has served on numerous proclamations and prayer breakfast committees and as a guest speaker.

His leadership as a multicultural Ukrainian-Canadian has been pictured and cited in The Ukrainian Canadians: a History by Michael H. Marunchak. Lewycky died on 3 August 2020.[2]

Electoral record edit

Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa edit

2019 Canadian federal election: Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Dan Mazier 26,103 64.2 +17.86 $47,835.45
New Democratic Laverne Lewycky 5,724 14.1 +1.85 none listed
Liberal Cathy Scofield-Singh 5,344 13.2 -16.31 $10,110.34
Green Kate Storey 2,214 5.5 +1.67 none listed
People's Frank Godon 711 1.8 none listed
Christian Heritage Jenni Johnson 470 1.2 none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 40,566 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 279
Turnout 40,845 66.2
Eligible voters 61,722
Conservative hold Swing +8.01
Source: Elections Canada[3][4]
2015 Canadian federal election: Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Robert Sopuck 19,276 46.34 -18.18 $96,511.06
Liberal Ray Piché 12,276 29.51 +23.18 $30,343.94
New Democratic Laverne Lewycky 5,097 12.25 -12.56 $18,323.29
Independent Inky Mark 3,397 8.07 $7,495.11
Green Kate Storey 1,592 3.83 -0.44 $8,600.31
Total valid votes/expense limit 41,598 100.00   $247,596.77
Total rejected ballots 160 0.38
Turnout 41,758 66.09
Eligible voters 63,187
Conservative hold Swing -20.68
Source: Elections Canada[5][6]

Dauphin—Swan River edit

1984 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Brian White 11,973 42.56 +4.1
New Democratic Laverne Lewycky 10,219 36.32 -8.5
Liberal Doug Cowling 4,352 15.47 -1.3
Confederation of Regions Douglas Switzer 1,589 5.65
Total valid votes 28,133 100.0

Dauphin edit

1980 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Laverne Lewycky 12,960 44.8 +3.2
Progressive Conservative Orville Heschuk 11,116 38.4 -4.8
Liberal Ron Hale 4,849 16.8 +1.5
Total valid votes 28,925 100.0
1979 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gordon Ritchie 12,239 43.2 -3.5
New Democratic Laverne Lewycky 11,770 41.6 +9.9
Liberal Robert Klimchuk 4,311 15.2 -6.4
Total valid votes 28,320 100.0
1974 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gordon Ritchie 11,439 46.7 -7.7
New Democratic Laverne Lewycky 7,743 31.6 +4.7
Liberal Ronald Hale 5,300 21.6 +3.0
Total valid votes 24,482 100.0

References edit

  1. ^
    • Laverne Lewycky – Parliament of Canada biography
  2. ^ "Laverne M. Lewycky". Sneath-Strilchuk Funeral Services. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  5. ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, 30 September 2015
  6. ^ Elections Canada – Final Candidates Election Expenses Limits