Stanley Haidasz

Stanley Haidasz

Stanley Haidasz, PC, MD (born March 4, 1923) is a retired Canadian politician, and was the first Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) of Polish descent.

Haidasz was born to Polish parents who immigrated to Canada in 1910 from Stanislawów. He studied medicine graduating from the University of Toronto in 1951, and did post-graduate work in cardiology at the University of Chicago.

Haidasz entered politics when he ran in the 1957 election, and became the Liberal (MP) for the Toronto riding of Trinity. He was defeated in the 1958 election in which John George Diefenbaker led the Progressive Conservative Party to a landslide victory.

Haidasz returned to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1962 election, representing the Toronto riding of Parkdale. He retained his seat through five succeeding elections until his appointment to the Canadian Senate in 1978.

In 1964, he served as head of Canada's delegation to the World Food Program in Geneva, and as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly.

He served as parliamentary secretary to a number of ministers in the 1960s. In 1972, he was appointed to the Canadian Cabinet as Minister of State for multiculturalism.

see books: Aleksandra Ziółkowska "Senator Haidasz", Toronto 1983,ISBN 0-919786-10-3; Aleksandra Ziółkowska "Kanadyjski senator", Warszawa 1989, ISBN 83-7021-023-6; Aleksandra, ISBN Ziółkowska "Amerykanie z wyboru", Warszawa 1998, ISBN 83-900358-7-1; Aleksandra Ziolkowska-Boehm "The Roots Are Polish" Toronto 2004, ISBN 0-920517-05-6.