Edward Schreyer

Edward Schreyer

Edward Richard Schreyer PC CC CMM OM CD (born December 21, 1935), commonly known as Ed Schreyer, is a Canadian politician, diplomat, and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 22nd since Canadian Confederation.

Schreyer was born and educated in Manitoba prior to being elected in 1958 to the province's legislative assembly. He later moved into federal politics, winning a seat in the House of Commons, but returned to Manitoba in 1969, becoming leader of the Manitoba New Democratic Party (NDP). The party then won that year's provincial election, and Schreyer was called upon to serve as Premier of Manitoba. He was in 1978 appointed as governor general by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, to replace Jules Léger as viceroy, and he occupied the post until succeeded by Jeanne Sauvé in 1984. As the Queen's representative, he was praised for raising the stature of Ukrainian Canadians, though disparaged for his lacklustre vigour in exercising the role of governor general. In the ensuing decades after departing the viceregal post, Schreyer served as Canada's High Commissioner to Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu and then again ran for election to the federal legislature. Though he ultimately failed to win a seat, he became the first person to run for election in Canada after serving as the country's governor general.

During his time as Manitoba's premier, Schreyer was entitled to the accordant style of The Honourable, the same style he received again upon his appointment on June 3, 1984 into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. However, as a former governor general of Canada, Schreyer is entitled to be styled for life with the superior form of The Right Honourable.