Ambrose Holowach


Ambrose Holowach was a Canadian businessman, soldier during World War II, member of the Canadian Parliament and member of the Alberta legislative assembly.

Federal political career

Holowach first ran for a seat in the House of Commons of Canada as a candidate of the Social Credit party in the 1949 federal election. He was defeated by Liberal candidate Albert Frederick Macdonald. Holowach ran again in the 1953 federal election and this time defeated Macdonald. He remained an MP until his defeat in the 1958 federal election at the hands of Progressive Conservative candidate William Skoreyko.

Provincial political career

Before he became an MP, Holowach ran for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1952. He ran in the multi-member electoral district of Edmonton but finished well out of contention for a seat.
He made another attempt at entering the Alberta legislature after losing his seat in the House of Commons. He was elected in the Edmonton Centre district in the 1959 general election. In 1962 he was appointed to the Executive Council and became Provincial Secretary. In 1964 he attracted much attention when he said in the legislature that he doesn't think Alberta needs a distinct flag. Shortly before the 1971 general election, he was appointed Minister of Culture, Youth and Recreation by Premier Harry Strom.
At the 1971 election, Holowach left the Edmonton Centre district and ran for re-election in the Edmonton-Highlands district. He was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate David Thomas King. Holowach ran against King again in the 1975 election but was again defeated.