-Alexander Kushnir was born 5 April 1897 at Shubranetz, Romania in the Austrian Empire (Now Ukraine).  On 15 March 1913 his family seeing the approaching World War I sent him to Canada. He worked his way across Canada. He moved to Resplendent, B.C. on 25th October 1920 and started working as a section man for 30 cents an hour. He was promoted to Section Foreman on 2 February 1923 at Canoe CNR Station just south of Valemount. In 1925 he moved to Swift Creek Siding just 3 miles north of Valemount. In June 1927 he relocated the CN Station building from Swift Creek Siding to Valemount and was involved in seeking input from the locals and the naming of Valemount. He was dismissed for a year in 1932 from the CNR as a result of the Whiskey Fill Train Wreck recovery. In 1929 he purchased the old Valemount Hotel and in the late 1940s built the new Valemount Hotel. He was retired from the CNR in 1954. On 18 November 1924 he married Dora Lukian, born 22 May 1905 in Insinger, Saskatchewan, the daughter of Itemi Lukian and Marie Radysh.