"I am saddened by the death of my friend Stan Schumacher.

"Stan was an Albertan through and through. His father was an Alberta Wheat Pool agent, and throughout his life Stan lived in rural communities like Hanna, Camrose, and Drumheller. Much of his life was dedicated to being a voice for rural Albertans and their values, both in Parliament and Alberta’s Legislature.

"Stan succeeded at pretty much everything he put his mind to. He obtained degrees in both Law and Commerce from the University of British Columbia in the 1950s, and served in the Canadian Army, including through a secondment to the British Army during which he was posted to the Army of the Rhine in West Germany. He later put a successful legal career on hold to represent Central Albertans for three terms as the Member of Parliament for Palliser, first being elected with an overwhelming majority in 1968. Always a principled conservative, Stan’s combative streak landed him in a series of conflicts with then Leader Joe Clark in the 1970s, ultimately causing him to lose his seat in Parliament in 1979.

"Stan came back to public service, serving three terms as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Drumheller in 1986. He became the first ever elected Speaker of the Alberta Legislature, serving in that role for four years. Stan was a true champion of Parliamentary traditions and institutions, and in my view stands out as one of the great Speakers in Alberta Legislative history.

"He served the community in countless ways outside of politics, including as the head of the Alberta Shriners, and Chairman of the Alberta Surface Rights and Land Compensation Board. 

"Stan had a unique combination of personal charm and steely resolve. His politics were unapologetically conservative. He was both a Canadian patriot and a relentless champion of Alberta, our values and way of life.

"I extend my heartfelt condolences to Virginia, his wife of fifty-two years, and to the surviving members of their family."