Walter Szwender

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Walter Szwender is a former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1982 until 1986.

[edit] Political career

Szwender was first elected a Member of the Alberta Legislature for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1982 Alberta general election. He was re-elected in the 1986 Alberta general election. During his time in office he represented the defunct Edmonton Belmont riding. He was defeated by New Democrat, Tom Sigurdson in the 1986 provincial election in a tight 6 way race.

Szwender would face off against Sigurdson three years later in the 1989 election in an attempt to retake Edmonton Belmont and he was once again defeated.^[1]

He ran in the 2004 provincial election in Edmonton Decore as a last minute replacement after it was revealed that the nominated candidate Ray Hajar was a convicted criminal, and had years of unpaid alimony. Swender also ran in that race against Alberta Alliance incumbent, Gary Masyk who crossed the floor from the Progressive Conservatives. On election night it was clear that he was unable to capitalize on his star power as a former MLA and ended up being defeated by Liberal Bill Bonko.

Aside from his former work as a lawmaker, Walter was a high school teacher.