Lawrence Decore (Lavrentiy Dykur), a man of Ukrainian descent, was a renowned Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the mayor of Edmonton. He made significant contributions to the promotion of Ukrainian culture in Canada. More details on edmonton-yes.
Childhood and Education
Lawrence was born on June 28, 1940, in Vegreville, Alberta, to John Decore (Ivan Dykur), a well-known judge and active member of the Liberal Party of Canada. As a child, his family anglicized their surname to Decore.
Lawrence attended school in Vegreville and graduated from the University of Alberta in 1961 with a Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Economy. In 1964, he earned a Bachelor of Laws degree. After graduation, he began practicing law and established the law firm Decore & Company.
In 1965, Decore married Anne Fedoruk, who later became Associate President for Academic Affairs at the University of Alberta. The couple had two children.
Decore’s law career was highly successful, and his active involvement in business ventures helped him amass significant wealth. He became a millionaire, owning several properties across Alberta, including the Jasper Inn, a shopping mall in Lethbridge, and more.
At one point, Decore served in the Royal Canadian Navy. Before entering municipal politics, he had already been involved in various community campaigns.
Political Career
Decore first entered politics in 1971 when he ran for a seat on Edmonton’s City Council as an alderman. He placed fourth out of 11 candidates. In 1974, he successfully ran again and was elected alderman of Edmonton’s City Council.
During his tenure, he chaired the Economic Affairs Committee and the Budget Committee and served as a director on the Hospital Board. After his three-year term, he ran for mayor of Edmonton in 1977, garnering 9,000 votes but failing to win.
For the next six years, Decore focused on community work, becoming president of the Ukrainian Professional and Business Men’s Club, a member of the board of directors for the Ukrainian Canadian Committee, and president of the Professional and Business Men’s Association of Canada.
In 1983, Decore returned to politics and ran for mayor of Edmonton again, this time successfully. As mayor, he dissolved the Board of Commissioners, transferring authority to City Council members. He also implemented a fiscal program that helped eliminate the city’s debt and played a pivotal role in revitalizing Edmonton’s downtown core.
In 1987, when a devastating tornado struck Edmonton, Decore led efforts to rebuild the city. He resigned in October 1988 to shift his focus to provincial politics.
Provincial Activities
In 1988, Decore joined the Alberta Liberal Party. His dedication and integrity helped the party gain the public’s trust.
Decore focused on reducing Alberta’s debt and criticized government interference in the private sector, which often led to companies failing to repay large public loans. However, internal party disputes arose as members questioned Decore’s leadership. In 1994, he retired from politics.
Post-Political Life and Legacy
After leaving politics, Decore returned to the business world, becoming the chair of the Canada-Ukraine Business Initiative.
Lawrence Decore passed away in 1999. Following his death, he was posthumously awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Alberta.