Edward Schreyer

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Edward Schreyer

Edward Richard Schreyer , PC , CC , OM (born December 21, 1935 in Beausejour , Manitoba ) is a Canadian politician and member of the New Democratic Party of Canada . He achieved political fame primarily as Prime Minister of the Province of Manitoba (1969–1977) and as Governor General of Canada (1979–1984). Schreyer holds numerous titles and honors, including Queen's Privy Council for Canada , Order of Military Merit , Canadian Forces Decoration, and Doctor of Laws .

Life

After attending school, Schreyer studied at United College , St. John's College, and the University of Manitoba . He completed his studies with a Bachelor of Pedagogy (1959), Bachelor of Education (1962), a Master of Arts in International Relations and another Master of Arts in Economics (1963). Between 1962 and 1965 he was Professor of International Relations at the University of Manitoba. Schreyer is an honorary member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club , H14513.

On June 30, 1960, Schreyer married Lily Schulz. The marriage had four children: the two daughters Lisa and Karmel and the two sons Jason and Tobin.

Political career

In the provincial elections of 1958 Schreyer was elected as a member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly, in which he represented the constituency of Brokenhead . He held this position until 1965, when he successfully ran for the Canadian House of Commons . Just four years later, Schreyer turned back to provincial politics and was elected leader of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba on June 8, 1969 , which he led to a landmark victory in the 1969 provincial elections. For the next eight years, Schreyer was Prime Minister of Manitoba Province.

Schreyer differed from his predecessors in many ways: With his rural origins, he was able to win the support of numerous voters of the so-called center who were previously unable to identify with the New Democratic Party. As a Catholic of German-Austrian descent (his grandparents came from the area of Galicia , now western Ukraine, populated by Germans ), Schreyer was the first leader of his party without an Anglo-Saxon or Protestant background.

During the first term of office until 1973, several important changes took place under Schreyer's government. So he merged the city of Winnipeg with its surrounding area, introduced public car insurance or significantly reduced health insurance premiums. The second term until 1977 was less spectacular. In the 1977 elections, Schreyer's government was replaced by the Conservative Progressive Party.

Governor General

Schreyer was appointed Governor General in 1979 by Canada's then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and moved into Rideau Hall in Ottawa (the official residence of the Governor General). He was the first Governor General to come from Manitoba and, at just 43 years old, the youngest Governor General since Lord Landsdowne (1883, 38 years old). In 1979 Schreyer and his wife Lily were awarded the Order of Canada, the highest civil honor in the country.

As Governor General, Schreyer put women's rights, environmental issues and the country's official bilingualism on the agenda.

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