List of Canadians of Polish descent

This is a partial list of notable Canadians of full or partial Polish ancestral or national descent.

## Business

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* Moses Znaimer, broadcasting executive
* Mik Kersten, computer engineer
* Piotr Szulczewski, founder of Wish

## Science and engineering

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* Casimir Gzowski – engineer who worked on Welland Canal, New York & Erie Railway (first Commissioner of the Niagara Parks Commission)
* Leon Katz, FRSC (1909–2004) – Officer of the Order of Canada, Professor University of Saskatchewan, physicist
* Karol Józef Krótki, FRSC – demography professor, statistician
* Witold Rybczynski – architect, professor and writer
* Lucas Skoczkowski – founder and CEO of Redknee
* Adam Skorek – professor of electrical and computer engineering
* Nicole Tomczak-Jaegermann, FRSC – mathematics professor
* Janusz Żurakowski – Battle of Britain fighter pilot

## Education

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* Isaac Hellmuth – from Warsaw, via England; one of the founders of the University of Western Ontario
* Conrad Swan – descended from Polish noble family, Swiecicki; first Canadian appointed to the College of Arms in London

## Politics

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* Leon Crestohl – former Liberal MP, Cartier, (1950–1963)
* Bonnie Crombie – former Liberal MP, Mississauga—Streetsville (2008–2011), Mayor of Mississauga, Ontario (2014–present)
* Jan Dukszta – former Ontario NDP MPP, Parkdale (1971–1981)
* Gary Filmon – former Premier of Manitoba (1988–1999), Manitoba PC MLA, River Heights (1979–1981) and Tuxedo (1981–2000)
* Jesse Flis – former Liberal MP Parkdale—High Park (1979–1984; 1988–1997)
* Casimir Gzowski – Acting Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (1896–1897)
* Stanley Haidasz – former Liberal MP for Trinity (1957–1958) and Parkdale (1962–1978); Minister of State for Multiculturalism (1972–1974); Senator (1978–1998)
* Andrew Kania – former Liberal Member of Parliament for Brampton West (2008–2011)
* Irek Kusmierczyk – Liberal Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh (2019 - )
* Stan Kazmierczak Keyes – former national chair of Liberal Party of Canada (2002–2004); Liberal MP Hamilton West (1988–2004); Minister of National Revenue, Minister of State (Sport), Minister Responsible for the Canada Post Corporation and Minister Responsible for the Royal Canadian Mint (2003–2004)
* Alexandre-Édouard Kierzkowski – former Liberal MP St. Hyacinthe (1867–1870), First MP of Polish Descent
* Tom Kmiec – Conservative MP, Calgary Shepard (2015–present)
* Chris Korwin-Kuczynski – former Toronto city councillor (1981–2003)
* Ken Kowalski – former Deputy Premier of Alberta (1992–1994), former Alberta Government Minister, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (1997–2012), Alberta PC MLA (1979–2012)
* Wladyslaw Lizon – former Conservative MP for Mississauga East-Cooksville (2011–2015) and former president of the Canadian Polish Congress (2005–2010)
* Thomas Lukaszuk – former Deputy Premier of Alberta (2012–2013), former Alberta Government Minister (2010–2014), and PC MLA for Edmonton-Castle Downs (2001–2015)
* Gary Malkowski – former Ontario NDP MPP, York East (1990–1995), Canada's first deaf parliamentarian
* Don Mazankowski – former Deputy Prime Minister for Brian Mulroney (1986–1993), former federal government Minister (1979–1980; 1984–1993), Progressive Conservative MP Vegreville (1968–1993)
* Peter Milczyn – former Member of Toronto City Council (2000–2014), current Liberal MPP Etobicoke—Lakeshore (2013–2018)
* Ted Opitz – former Conservative MP for Etobicoke Centre (2011–2015)
* Fred Rose – former Labor-Progressive (Communist) MP Cartier (1943–1947); only MP ever convicted of spying for a foreign country, his capture as a Soviet spy helped to start the Cold War
* John Yakabuski – Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke (2003–present), son of Paul Yakabuski
* Paul Yakabuski – former Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP, (1963–1987), father of John Yakabuski
* Ed Ziemba – former Ontario NDP MPP, High Park—Swansea (1975–1981), brother-in-law of Elaine Ziemba
* Elaine Ziemba – former Ontario NDP MPP, High Park—Swansea (1990–1995), sister-in-law of Ed Ziemba

## Music

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* Dan Bryk – singer-songwriter
* Walter Buczynski – composer
* Basia Bulat – singer-songwriter
* Anna Cyzon – singer-songwriter
* Janina Fialkowska – pianist, born in Montreal[1]
* Steve Jocz – drummer for Sum 41
* Ben Kowalewicz – lead singer for Billy Talent
* Mike Reno – musician and the lead singer for Loverboy
* Geddy Lee – bassist, keyboardist and lead vocalist for Rush
* Jan Lisiecki – pianist-virtuoso, born in Calgary
* Margaret Maye – singer and actress
* Andrzej Rozbicki – conductor
* Daniel Wnukowski – pianist
* Christina Petrowska Quilico \- pianist

## Culture and media

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* Andrzej Busza – poet
* Bogdan Czaykowski – poet, translator, essayist
* Alex Debogorski – veteran ice road trucker on the television series Ice Road Truckers
* Peter Gzowski – broadcaster, writer and reporter
* Karol Ike – photographer and cinematographer
* Wacław Iwaniuk – poet in Polish, literary critic and essayist[2]
* Jacqueline Milczarek – journalist, news anchor
* Anne Mroczkowski – journalist, news anchor
* Estanislao (Stan) Oziewicz – journalist, The Globe and Mail
* George Radwanski – editor-in-chief of the Toronto Star
* Chava Rosenfarb – novelist, poet in Yiddish, wife of Henry Morgentaler
* Adam Smoluk – director, screenwriter and actor
* Eva Stachniak – writer
* Mark Starowicz – head of CBC Television Documentary Programming unit, journalist and TV producer
* Alexandra Szacka – CBC/Radio-Canada correspondent
* Jack L. Warner \- film executive, co-founder of Warner Bros, born to Polish Jewish parents

## Actors

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* Magda Apanowicz – actress
* Lara Jean Chorostecki – actress[3]
* John Candy \- actor, comedian; John's mother Evangeline Candy (née Aker), was of Polish descent
* Henry Czerny – actor
* Paloma Kwiatkowski – actress[4]
* Lisa Ray – actress
* Devon Sawa – actor

## Military

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* Andrew Charles Mynarski VC – Second World War airman
* Walter J. Natynczyk – Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces
* Stefan Sznuk – Major General

## Sports

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* Turk Broda – ice hockey goalie
* Shane Churla – player, NHL
* Peter Czerwinski – competitive eater and bodybuilder
* Gabriela Dabrowski – professional tennis player
* Adam Fantilli \- ice hockey centre
* Wayne Gretzky – hockey legend
* Frank Jerwa \- ice hockey left wing
* Joe Jerwa \- ice hockey defenseman
* Michael Klukowski – soccer player for Club Brugge
* Walter "Killer" Kowalski – professional wrestler
* Joe Krol – Toronto Argonauts player
* Tomasz Kucharzewski – martial artist
* Stan Mikawos – Winnipeg Blue Bombers player, CFL
* Ben Pakulski – professional bodybuilder
* Jim Peplinski – Calgary Flames, NHL
* Chris Pozniak – soccer player who currently plays for San Jose Earthquakes
* Tomasz Radzinski – soccer player
* Krzysztof Soszynski – mixed martial artist
* Dave Stala – Hamilton Tiger-Cats player CFL
* Trish Stratus – WWE Diva
* John Tavares – ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs
* Larry Trader – played for Detroit, St. Louis, Montreal, 1982–1988
* Wojtek Wolski – player NHL
* Aleksandra Wozniak – professional tennis player
* Penny Oleksiak – Canadian National Team Swimmer
* Jamie Oleksiak – NHL Player Dallas Stars

## References

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1. ^ "Fialkowska, Janina". Archived from the original on 2006-08-24. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
2. ^ Archival Sources for the Study of Polish Canadians
3. ^ Storrow, Holly (March 23, 2013). "An interview with 'Hannibal' star Lara Jean Chorostecki". The Daily Quirk. Archived from the original on October 30, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
4. ^ Schaefer, Glen (June 3, 2012). "Teen actor's career catapults into Hollywood overnight". The Province. Archived from the original on 2012-06-05.