# Werner Schmidt

Werner George Schmidt (January 18, 1932 – March 29, 2024) was a Canadian politician, teacher, and school principal.

## Political career

Schmidt was vice-president of Lethbridge Community College when he was chosen to succeed Harry Strom as leader of the Alberta Social Credit Party following the defeat of Strom's government in 1971 despite the fact that Schmidt had never held a seat in the Alberta legislature. Schmidt defeated former Highways Minister Gordon Taylor and former Education Minister Robert Curtis Clark in an upset victory at the 1973 Alberta Social Credit leadership convention. After his leadership election, Schmidt ran in the electoral district of Calgary-Foothills in a by-election held on June 25, 1973, but was defeated by Stewart McCrae.
Under his leadership, the party won only four seats in the 1975 provincial election and Schmidt, failing to win his own seat, returned to private life.
Schmidt left Alberta and moved to British Columbia joining the Reform Party of Canada at its inception and was a member of its first Executive Council. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1988 federal election before winning a seat in the 1993 election representing Okanagan Centre. He was re-elected in 1997 representing Kelowna. He won election again in 2000 as a Canadian Alliance MP with 60% of the vote and won his fourth straight victory in the 2004, this time as a Conservative.
As a member of Parliament, Schmidt served as Critic for Industry, Critic for Public Works and Government Services and Critic for Seniors. He has also been a member of several Standing Committees including the Standing Committee on Industry, the Standing Committee on Finance, and the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.
He served as Caucus Chair of the Canadian Alliance and Caucus Vice Chair when the party became the Conservative Party of Canada.
Schmidt retired from politics with the dissolution of parliament for the 2006 federal election. He died in Edmonton on March 29, 2024, at the age of 92.

## Electoral history

vte2004 Canadian federal election: Kelowna—Lake Country :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Werner Schmidt | 25,553 | 48.0 | -19.7 | $61,185 |
| | Liberal | Vern Nielsen | 14,109 | 26.5 | +2.7 | $58,986 |
| | New Democratic | Starleigh Grass | 8,954 | 16.8 | +10.5 | $14,000 |
| | Green | Kevin Ade | 3,903 | 7.3 | – | $4,993 |
| | Marijuana | Huguette Plourde | 447 | 0.8 | – | |
| | Canadian Action | Michael Cassidyne-Hook | 271 | 0.5 | -1.6 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 53,237 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 159 | 0.3 | -0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,396 | 62.1 | -1.9 |
Note: Conservative vote is compared to the total of the Canadian Alliance vote and Progressive Conservative vote in 2000 election.
vte2000 Canadian federal election: Kelowna—Lake Country :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Alliance | Werner Schmidt | 33,810 | 59.5 | +9.5 | $44,990 |
| | Liberal | Joe Leask | 13,564 | 23.9 | +1.5 | $46,876 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Doug Mallo | 4,708 | 8.3 | -8.5 | $9,791 |
| | New Democratic | John O. Powell | 3,572 | 6.3 | -1.3 | $9,493 |
| | Canadian Action | Jack W. Peach | 1,199 | 2.1 | – | $3,652 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 56,853 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 223 | 0.4 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,076 | 64.0 | +1.2 |
Note: Canadian Alliance vote is compared to the Reform vote in 1997 election.
vte1997 Canadian federal election: Kelowna—Lake Country :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Reform | Werner Schmidt | 25,246 | 50.0 | – | $48,355 |
| | Liberal | Janna Francis | 11,306 | 22.4 | – | $32,838 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Al Horning | 8,477 | 16.8 | – | $47,498 |
| | New Democratic | Fred Steele | 3,838 | 7.6 | – | $11,443 |
| | Green | David Hughes | 1,612 | 3.2 | – | $1,014 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 50,479 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 123 | 0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,602 | 62.8 |