Ed Schreyer

About Ed Schreyer

Ed Schreyer was first elected to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly at the age of 22. He went on to be a federal MP, the Premier of Manitoba and the Governor General of Canada. A moderate, Ed Schreyer has been a supporter of bilingualism, a strong central government and protection of the environment. He returned to politics in the 2006 general election because he wanted to fix the Canadian parliamentary system, which he said concentrates too much power in the office of the prime minister. He was not elected.

Governor General of Canada

1979-84

Premier of Manitoba

1969-77

Birth

December 21, 1935 in Beauséjour, Manitoba

Education

• Bachelor of Pedagogy - University of Manitoba
• BEd
• MA - International Relations
• MA - Economics

Professional Career

• Professor of International Relations, University of Manitoba, 1962-65
• High Commissioner to Australia 1984-88
• National representative for Habitat for Humanity

Political Affiliation

• Manitoba CCF
• New Democratic Party - NDP

Ridings (Electoral Districts)

Provincial Ridings

• Brokenhead (CCF) 1958-65
• Rossmere (NDP) 1969-78

Federal Ridings

• Springfield 1965-68
• Selkirk 1968-69

Political Career of Ed Schreyer

• Ed Schreyer was first elected to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly as the CCF member for the riding of Brokenhead in 1958. At 22, he was the youngest member of the legislature.

• He was elected to the House of Commons in 1965.

• In 1969, Ed Schreyer returned to provincial politics.

• He was elected Leader of the Manitoba NDP in 1969, and he led the NDP to victory in the Manitoba provincial general election that year.

• Ed Schreyer was sworn in as Premier of Manitoba in 1969.

• Accomplishments of Ed Schreyer as Premier of Manitoba include the amalgamation of the City of Winnipeg, the introduction of public automobile insurance and a reduction in medicare premiums.

• In the 1977 election, the NDP were defeated by Sterling Lyon and the Progressive Conservatives. Ed Schreyer was Leader of the Opposition in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly until late 1978 when he was appointed Governor General of Canada.

• Ed Schreyer returned to politics in late 2005 when he announced he was running in the 2006 federal election for the NDP in the riding of Selkirk-Interlake. He was defeated.

Ed Schreyer as Governor General of Canada

• Ed Schreyer was appointed Governor General of Canada by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and sworn in in 1979. The appointment was controversial at the time as he was the first former politician to be appointed Governor General.

• In his role as Governor General Ed Schreyer was a strong supporter of the equality of women. In 1979 he established the Governor General Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case.

• Ed Schreyer also worked for the protection of the environment and established the Governor General's Conservation Awards in 1981. At the end of his term of office as Governor General, Ed Schreyer announced that for five years he would give his pension as Governor General to the Canadian Shield Foundation.

• Ed Schreyer's wife Lily Schreyer devoted time to issues concerning families and the disabled. She opened the grounds of Rideau Hall to families, installed an accessible entrance and elevator at Rideau Hall, and inspired building the stone Fountain of Hope dedicated to Terry Fox in front of Rideau Hall.