After the Heritage Party was founded in 1984 and registered with Elections Alberta, Pawlus, a "semi-retired engineer and businessman,"[1] became leader.
He first ran for a seat in the Alberta Legislature in the Spirit River-Fairview by-election held on February 21, 1985.
Pawlus and the Heritage Party won just 18 votes in the election, finishing last in a field of 17 candidates.
[3] Pawlus led the Heritage Party into the failed coalition with the Western Canada Concept and Social Credit that created the Alberta Political Alliance in 1986.
The Heritage Party left the coalition and ran candidates under its own banner in the 1986 general election.