{{short description|Canadian politician}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = George Mihalcheon - (ca. 1926) (16868380165).jpg | image_size = | name = George M. Mihalcheon | caption = | birth_date = October 1, 1893 | birth_place = Boian, Bukovina<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Guide Parlementaire Canadien|author1=Normandin, P.G.|author2=Normandin, A.L.|date=1929|publisher=P. G. Normandin|issn=0315-6168|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KrgKAQAAIAAJ|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> | death_date = {{death date and age|1956|10|2|1893|10|1}} | death_place = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | office = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | constituency = Whitford | term_start = June 28, 1926 | term_end = June 19, 1930 | predecessor = Mike Chornohus | successor = Isidore Goresky | party = United Farmers | spouse = Mary Lutzak | children = | occupation = politician, farmer, shopkeeper and teacher | branch = | allegiance = | battles = | service_years = | rank = | unit = | commands = | awards = }}
'''George M. Mihalcheon''' (Romanian: '''George Mihălcean''' October 1, 1893 – October 2, 1956) was a politician from Alberta, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1926 to 1930 as a member of the United Farmers caucus in government.
==Early life== Mihalcheon was born in 1893 in Boian, Bukovina, a village which is now in Ukraine. He moved to Alberta with his family in 1901 to the town of Hairy Hill. He graduated normal school in 1918 and became a teacher in the town of Boian, Alberta. He married Mary Lutzak.<ref name="bio">"Romanian Immigration". Alberta Community Heritage Foundation. Retrieved June 30, 2010.</ref>
==Political career== Mihalcheon put his name forward to contest the nomination as the United Farmers candidate in the electoral district of Whitford in advance of the 1926 provincial election. He defeated the sitting United Farmers MLA Mike Chornohus and two other contenders to be named the party's candidate in the 1926 Alberta general election.<ref name="chronodefeat">{{cite news|title=In The Political Arena|page=1|publisher=The Lethbridge Daily Herald|date=June 7, 1926|work=Vol XIX No 149}}</ref>
in the 1926 Alberta general election Mihalcheon and four other candidates ran in Whitford. Mihalcheon won a majority of the district's popular vote on the first count so was quickly elected, holding the district for his party. Among the candidates he defeated was former Liberal MLA Andrew Shandro, who finished second.<ref name="1926 official">{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1926&Constit=Whitford|title=Whitford Official Results 1926 Alberta general election|publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation|accessdate=April 29, 2010}}</ref> Michalcheon was the first Alberta MLA of Romanian origin. His ability to speak English, Ukrainian, and Romanian was credited with helping him win the election.<ref name="bio"/>
Mihalcheon retired from the Assembly at dissolution in 1930, when the Whitford UFA association asked him to step down fearing that his Romanian heritage might cause the party to lose the district.<ref name="bio"/> Under his replacement, Isidore Goresky, the UFA did retain the seat.
==Late life== After his political career, Mihalcheon started farming. He also founded a general store.<ref name="bio"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Find a Grave|90273554}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930024650/http://www.assembly.ab.ca/legislaturecentennial/pdf/membersBooklet.pdf Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing] *[https://canadianromaniansocietyofalberta.org/about-us/founding-members Founding Members] The Canadian Romanian Society Of Alberta
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mihalcheon, George}} Category:1893 births Category:1956 deaths Category:United Farmers of Alberta MLAs Category:Emigrants from Austria-Hungary to Canada Category:Romanian emigrants to Canada Category:Romanians in Austria-Hungary Category:People from the Duchy of Bukovina Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta