Laurence Decore

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Laurence G. Decore (June 28, 1940 - November 6, 1999) was a Ukrainian-Canadian lawyer, politician, former mayor of Edmonton and leader of the Alberta Liberal Party.

Born Lavrentiy Dikur in Vegreville, Alberta, he was the son of John Decore, a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1949-1957.

Decore graduated from the University of Alberta in 1961 with B.A. in history and political economy, and in 1964 with LL.B.

He was an alderman from 1974 until 1977. From 1977 to 1981, he was a member of the board of directors of the Canadian Foundation for Ukrainian Studies, and was president of the Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Federation from 1979 to 1981. In 1980 he was appointed chairman of the Canadian Consultative Council on Multiculturalism, and served in this capacity until 1983.

Decore made an unsuccessful first run for mayor of Edmonton in 1977. He ran successfully and was elected in 1983, and was re-elected with a large margin 1986. In 1988, Decore resigned as Mayor to pursue the leadership of the Alberta Liberal Party.

Decore was chosen as leader of the Alberta Liberal Party in 1988 and served as leader until 1994. He was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Edmonton Glengarry in the 1989 Alberta provincial election after defeating one-term NDP incumbent MLA John Younie by over 3,400 votes. In the 1993 election, Decore led the Alberta Liberal Party to become the largest Official Opposition caucus in Alberta history by winning 32 out of 83 riding (including every seat in Edmonton) and gaining 39% of the popular vote across Alberta. To the surprise of many, Decore stepped down as Liberal leader not long after the election, supposedly being pressured to resign by party insiders who felt that he missed the chance to form the government.

He declined to run in the 1997 election due to ill health.

In 1983, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada.

In 1999, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta. He died of cancer later that same year.

He was married to Anne Marie and had two children, Michael and Andrea.

[edit] References

• Biographies of Mayors and Councillors. Edmonton Public Library. Retrieved on January 26, 2005.

Preceded by Cecil John Harry Purves	Mayor of Edmonton 1983-1988	Succeeded by Terry Cavanagh
Preceded by John Younie	MLA Edmonton Glengarry 1989–1997	Succeeded by Bill Bonner
Preceded by Ray Martin	Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta 1993-1994	Succeeded by Bettie Hewes