Wickman served as an alderman on Edmonton City Council from 1977 to 1986. He made the news when he was elected as Liberal MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud after unseating Alberta premier Don Getty in the 1989 election, despite the fact Getty had otherwise won a majority government. In 1993 election and 1997 election Wickman was re-elected as the MLA for Edmonton Rutherford. Wickman retired from politics in 2001.