Former premier praises MHV founders

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This article was published 30/05/2024 (342 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As a room full of guests celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Mennonite Heritage Village and the 150th anniversary of Steinbach as part of their spring gala on May 24, the man who was premier during the founding of MHV had words of praise for the founders.

Now in his late 80s, Edward Schreyer served as premier from 1969 to 1977. He was first elected at only 22-years-old, the youngest ever elected to the assembly.

He said the people of Steinbach were an inspiration to him, saying he succeeded in his first bid for election partly due to the support from the Derksen brothers, Bruno and Eugene who took care of his printing at Derksen Printers. His budget, he recalled, was a mere $850.

He also referenced the Thiessen brothers from Grunthal, as both Peter and Jack had a lifelong influence on him.

But he saved his biggest commendation for those behind the push for the Mennonite Heritage Village, recalling when J.J. Reimer first sought a meeting.

“He put to me the case why Steinbach really needed to build a memorable kind of historical image and that it needed a bit of help from senior government,” Schreyer said.

He added Reimer and his supporters had a dream and a plan, which impressed Schreyer with its thoroughness.

“The plan was so specific and detailed that it even included the name of the firm where they were going to get the specialist carpenter to do the actual heavy-duty carpentry on the windmill itself,” he said.

He admitted their proposal fell on fertile ground, as after decades of giving lip service to the virtue and benefit of multiculturalism and encouraging people to be enthusiastic about the retention of their culture and language, he was ready for action.

“What could be better then to support community groups that were trying to do just that?” he asked. “J.J. Reimer didn’t have too much of a selling job because I was looking then for some concrete examples where we could pitch in… up to 33 percent to 50 percent of the cost.”

Schreyer said MHV was the first example of that type of project he wanted to see.

“J.J. Reimer and all those who worked with him on the committee deserve recognition in historical perpetuity,” he said. “You deserve credit and I’m here to extend credit to you.”

He also reflected on his friendship with former Steinbach Mayor A.D. Penner.

“I had visions that somehow some way I would persuade A.D. Penner to run for my party and had he done so I think you would have to admit that Steinbach politics would never be the same again.”