List of Canadians of Polish descent

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

Business

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

Science and engineering

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

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.