Ken Kowalski
Encyclopedia
Kenneth "Ken" Reginald Kowalski, MLA
(born September 27, 1945) is a provincial level politician and former teacher from Alberta
, Canada
. He is a current member and also dean of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
and has served continuously since November 1979 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus under four different Premiers.
Kowalski is the current Speaker of the Assembly, and was first appointed to the Executive Council of Alberta
by Premier Don Getty
in 1986. Since his appointment he has held five different cabinet portfolios including that of Deputy Premier from 1992 to 1994.
Composite High School, and was a civil servant working for the Alberta government in the 1970s.
leader Nicholas Taylor
. Kowalski just barely won the election with Taylor finishing a strong second. He took 38% of the popular vote in the hotly contested race to hold the seat for the Progressive Conservatives. The other two candidates from Social Credit and the NDP also had respectable showings.
Kowalski would face off against Taylor in the 1982 Alberta general election
. The field in the race was crowded with a total of six different candidates contesting the race. Both Kowalski and Taylor would make gains while the other four opposition candidates didn't have much of an impact in the race. Kowalski held his seat by doubling his popular vote, while Taylor only saw a marginal increase.
The 1986 general election
would see Kowalski win re-election to his third term in office. He would win by a wider margin then 1982, with the collapse of the opposition vote. His popular vote would go up by an insignificant amount. New Democrat candidate Larry McConnell would finish a distant second, and the other three candidates in the race would poll an insignificant amount of votes.
After the election Premier Don Getty
would appoint Kowalski to the Executive Council of Alberta
. He would serve his first cabinet portfolio as Minister of the Environment. On September 8, 1988 Getty would shuffle him become the Minister of Career Development and Employment. He ran for re-election in the 1989 general election
with ministerial advantage. His popular vote in his district would rise again as he defeated three other candidates including Social Credit leader Harvey Yuill who finished in last place.
Getty would shuffle Kowalski to his third cabinet portfolio. He became the Minister of Public Works, Supply, and Services. He kept that portfolio when Ralph Klein became Premier in 1992 and also became Deputy Premier. He held both those portfolios going into the 1993 general election
. The electoral district of Barrhead was redistributed and became Barrhead-Westlock. He won the new electoral district and his fifth term in office with his highest popular vote to date despite facing a strong challenge from Liberal candidate Dale Greig and four other candidates.
Klein would shuffle Kowalski to become the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism after the election, but he kept his position as Deputy Premier. He would loose both portfolio's on September 15, 1994 and become Government Leader in the house. Kowalski would run for his sixth term in office in the 1997 general election
. For the first time since he was elected his popular vote would drop. He defeated three candidates including Greig and Yuill to keep his seat.
Kowalski would be elected Speaker of the Assembly in following the election on April 14, 1997. He would defeat Don Tannas
and Glen Clegg
on the second ballot to win the position. The speakers election was the first one to be held by secret ballot in the assembly. He would run for his seventh term in office, and his first as incumbent speaker in the 2001 general election
. His popular vote would rise significantly as he would defeat three other candidates in a landslide.
After the election he would be acclaimed to his second term as Speaker. He ran for his eighth term in office in the 2004 general election
. His electoral district would again be redistributed and he ran in the new electoral district of Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock. He won a slightly reduced popular vote, but still easily won the electoral district defeating four other candidates.
Kowalski would be acclaimed to his third term as Speaker. He ran for his ninth term in the 2008 Alberta general election. He defeated four other candidates in a landslide to win the highest popular vote of his career.
On April 14, 2008, to the day 11 years after he won his first term as Speaker, Kowalski would win his fourth term defeating Laurie Blakeman
.
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...
(born September 27, 1945) is a provincial level politician and former teacher from 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...
, 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...
. He is a current member and also dean of 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...
and has served continuously since November 1979 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus under four different Premiers.
Kowalski is the current Speaker of the Assembly, and was first appointed to the Executive Council of Alberta
Executive Council of Alberta
The Executive Council of Alberta is the cabinet of that Canadian province.Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the Cabinet of Canada while being smaller in size...
by Premier Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
in 1986. Since his appointment he has held five different cabinet portfolios including that of Deputy Premier from 1992 to 1994.
Early life
Kenneth Reginald Kowalski was born in Bonnyville, Alberta on September 27, 1945. He worked as a teacher at BarrheadBarrhead, Alberta
Barrhead is a town in central Alberta, Canada, within the County of Barrhead No. 11. It is located along the Paddle River and at the intersection of Highway 33 and Highway 18, approximately northwest of the City of Edmonton...
Composite High School, and was a civil servant working for the Alberta government in the 1970s.
Political career
Kowalski ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time a by-election held in November of 1979 in the electoral district of Barrhead to replace Hugh Horner. He ran against three other candidates including Alberta LiberalAlberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
leader Nicholas Taylor
Nicholas Taylor
Nicholas "Nick" William Taylor is a retired geologist, businessman and politician and former Canadian Senator from Alberta, Canada....
. Kowalski just barely won the election with Taylor finishing a strong second. He took 38% of the popular vote in the hotly contested race to hold the seat for the Progressive Conservatives. The other two candidates from Social Credit and the NDP also had respectable showings.
Kowalski would face off against Taylor in the 1982 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1982
The Alberta general election of 1982 was the twentieth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 2, 1982 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. The field in the race was crowded with a total of six different candidates contesting the race. Both Kowalski and Taylor would make gains while the other four opposition candidates didn't have much of an impact in the race. Kowalski held his seat by doubling his popular vote, while Taylor only saw a marginal increase.
The 1986 general election
Alberta general election, 1986
The Alberta general election of 1986 was the twenty-first general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 8, 1986 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
would see Kowalski win re-election to his third term in office. He would win by a wider margin then 1982, with the collapse of the opposition vote. His popular vote would go up by an insignificant amount. New Democrat candidate Larry McConnell would finish a distant second, and the other three candidates in the race would poll an insignificant amount of votes.
After the election Premier Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
would appoint Kowalski to the Executive Council of Alberta
Executive Council of Alberta
The Executive Council of Alberta is the cabinet of that Canadian province.Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the Cabinet of Canada while being smaller in size...
. He would serve his first cabinet portfolio as Minister of the Environment. On September 8, 1988 Getty would shuffle him become the Minister of Career Development and Employment. He ran for re-election in the 1989 general election
Alberta general election, 1989
The Alberta general election of 1989 was the twenty-second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 20, 1989 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
with ministerial advantage. His popular vote in his district would rise again as he defeated three other candidates including Social Credit leader Harvey Yuill who finished in last place.
Getty would shuffle Kowalski to his third cabinet portfolio. He became the Minister of Public Works, Supply, and Services. He kept that portfolio when Ralph Klein became Premier in 1992 and also became Deputy Premier. He held both those portfolios going into the 1993 general election
Alberta general election, 1993
The Alberta general election of 1993 was the twenty-third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 15, 1993 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
. The electoral district of Barrhead was redistributed and became Barrhead-Westlock. He won the new electoral district and his fifth term in office with his highest popular vote to date despite facing a strong challenge from Liberal candidate Dale Greig and four other candidates.
Klein would shuffle Kowalski to become the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism after the election, but he kept his position as Deputy Premier. He would loose both portfolio's on September 15, 1994 and become Government Leader in the house. Kowalski would run for his sixth term in office in the 1997 general election
Alberta general election, 1997
The Alberta general election of 1997 was the twenty-fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 11, 1997 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. For the first time since he was elected his popular vote would drop. He defeated three candidates including Greig and Yuill to keep his seat.
Kowalski would be elected Speaker of the Assembly in following the election on April 14, 1997. He would defeat Don Tannas
Don Tannas
Don Tannas is a former provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a Member of the Alberta Legislature from 1989 until 2004.-Political history:...
and Glen Clegg
Glen Clegg
Glen Clegg is a civil servant and former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 until 2001.-Political career:...
on the second ballot to win the position. The speakers election was the first one to be held by secret ballot in the assembly. He would run for his seventh term in office, and his first as incumbent speaker in the 2001 general election
Alberta general election, 2001
The Alberta general election of 2001 was the twenty-fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. His popular vote would rise significantly as he would defeat three other candidates in a landslide.
After the election he would be acclaimed to his second term as Speaker. He ran for his eighth term in office in the 2004 general election
Alberta general election, 2004
The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. His electoral district would again be redistributed and he ran in the new electoral district of Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock. He won a slightly reduced popular vote, but still easily won the electoral district defeating four other candidates.
Kowalski would be acclaimed to his third term as Speaker. He ran for his ninth term in the 2008 Alberta general election. He defeated four other candidates in a landslide to win the highest popular vote of his career.
On April 14, 2008, to the day 11 years after he won his first term as Speaker, Kowalski would win his fourth term defeating Laurie Blakeman
Laurie Blakeman
Laurie Blakeman is a Canadian politician, who currently represents the electoral district of Edmonton Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
.