Walter Smishek Explained

Walter Smishek
Birth Place:Sokal, Lwów Voivodeship, Poland
Birth Name:Walter Edmund Smishek
Birth Date:July 21, 1925
Death Date:December 22, 2014 (aged 89)
Death Place:Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Office1:Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Regina North East
Term Start1:1967
Term End1:1982
Predecessor1:new district
Successor1:Russell Sutor
Office2:Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Regina East
Term Start2:1964
Term End2:1967
Predecessor2:new district
Successor2:district abolished
Party:New Democratic Party

Walter Edmund Smishek (July 21, 1925December 22, 2014) was a Polish-born Canadian trade unionist and former political figure in Saskatchewan. He represented Regina East from 1964 to 1967 as a Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) member and Regina North East from 1967 to 1982 as a New Democratic Party (NDP) member in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

Early life

Smishek was born in 1925 in Sokal, Eastern Galicia, the son of Andrew Joseph Smishek and Mary Homeniuk, and came to Saskatchewan with his parents in 1930, settling on a farm near Hafford.

Career

Smishek worked for a grocery wholesale firm for five years, then became a representative for the Saskatchewan Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Workers' Union. From 1964 to 1971, he was executive secretary for the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour. He also served as a member of the University of Saskatchewan's Academic Senate representing labour. Smishek served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Health, as Minister of Finance and as Minister of Urban Affairs. He was also a member of Saskatchewan's Treasury Board, serving as its chair from 1975 to 1979. He was defeated by Russell Sutor when he ran for reelection to the provincial assembly in 1982. After leaving politics, Smishek worked for the Canadian federal Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in Regina.[1]

Personal life

As of 2009, he was retired but continued to live in Regina.[2] He died in Regina at the age of 89 on December 22, 2014.[3] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Encyclopedia: Smishek, Walter Edmund (1925–) . Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan . 2012-07-23.
  2. Web site: Walter E. Smishek fonds . Saskatchewan Archival Information Network . 2012-07-23.
  3. Web site: Veteran NDP politician Walter Smishek dies at 89. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141224160635/http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Veteran+politician+Walter+Smishek+dies/10677012/story.html. 2014-12-24. Regina Leader-Post. 2022-01-08.
  4. Web site: Walter Smishek Obituary (2014) - Leader-Post. Legacy.com. 2014-12-24.