He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1979 to 1988, and a senior cabinet minister in the New Democratic Party government of Howard Pawley from 1981 to 1988.
[2] Schroeder contested another by-election in 1979, this time in the north-end Winnipeg riding of Rossmere, recently vacated by former premier Edward Schreyer upon his appointment at Governor General of Canada.
[1] The election was surprisingly close, with Schroeder defeating Progressive Conservative Harold Piercy by only 230 votes.
[4] The NDP formed a majority government following this election, and Schroeder was appointed minister of finance[5] and Minister of Labour and Manpower on November 30, 1981, also carrying responsibility for the Civil Service Commission and Civil Service Superannuation Board and the administration of Pension Benefits Act and Public Servants Insurance Act.
[1] The NDP were unexpectedly defeated in the legislature in 1988, and Schroeder lost to Neufeld[1] by 526 votes in the election which followed.