Gene Zwozdesky

Gene Zwozdesky, MLA (born July 24, 1948) is a politician and was the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada from 2012 to 2015.

Zwozdesky was born in Saskatchewan but came to Alberta at the age of two. He lived in Grand Centre, Hinton and Sangudo before moving to Edmonton, where he has lived in 1963 and where he obtain bachelor's degrees in arts and education from the University of Alberta. Before becoming involved in politics Zwozdesky worked as a teacher, administrator, professional musician and businessman. Zwozdesky joined the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers in 1963, and was dancer for that troupe for six years, before becoming the musical director, composing and conducting the music for twenty-five years, as well as serving in the same role for the Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company. He was involved in various other cultural organizations, was the executive director of the Alberta Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Alberta Ukrainian Canadian Centennial Commission, and has served on various voluntary boards.

Zwozdesky was first elected in the 1993 Alberta general election as the Alberta Liberal Party's candidate, defeating incumbent Marie Laing from the Alberta New Democratic Party. He was re-elected to the new riding of Edmonton Mill Creek in the 1997 Alberta general election.

In July 1998, he left the Liberal Party caucus and sat as an Independent member after a dispute over fiscal policy. He joined the governing Progressive Conservatives a month later. In the 2001 Alberta general election he won by a generous margin over the Liberal challenger Bharat Agnihotri.

He was appointed to the cabinet as Minister of Community Development, after hanging on to his seat in the 2004 Alberta general election he was appointed Minister of Education.

On December 15, 2006, he was replaced in Premier Ed Stelmach's cabinet by Ron Liepert. He again joined the Alberta Cabinet on June 27, 2007 as Associate Minister for Capital Planning. As of 2008, he is the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Deputy Government House Leader. He is also co-chair of the Advisory Council on Alberta-Ukraine Relations, co-chair of the Cabinet Policy Committee on Public Safety and Services, and a member of the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing.

Zwozdesky has won numerous awards from cultural and arts organizations, as well as the 2005 Alberta Centennial Medal.

Zwozdesky was re-elected in the 2012 provincial election as an incumbent PC candidate.