The territory has lost a former politician, RCMP officer, Safety Bear and plain good man with the Jan. 31 passing of Dennis Schneider at the age of 80.

Schneider’s political career was brief, but embraced a pivotal role: Speaker of the territorial legislature.

The Flin Flon, Man. native’s roots as an MLA were planted in the election of April 17, 2000, when Liberal candidate Schneider ousted NDP incumbent Dave Sloan in Whitehorse West, snaring 621 votes to Sloan’s 480.

The Liberal party went on to form its first-ever government under the leadership of Pat Duncan, succeeding NDP government leader Piers McDonald’s 1996-2000 regime with an enormous victory – including the capture of all 10 seats in Whitehorse.

The Star’s front-page headline the following day read: “Liberal tidal wave paints the territory red”.

Instead of being tapped to become a minister in the Duncan cabinet, Schneider donned figurative referee’s stripes to become Speaker of the House.

“My first reaction is to offer my heartfelt condolences to his family and thank him for his public service,” Duncan, who is now the territory’s sole senator, told the Star this week.

“It is a tough choice to put your name on a ballot.

“I also thank him for his service as a member of the RCMP. I am saddened by his passing.”

Schneider had joined the RCMP in 1961, beginning his policing career in Saskatchewan before he was eventually transferred to the Whitehorse detachment.

He was a member for 36 years.

“It was a different time when he was Speaker, and he did the best he could with the knowledge he had,” Duncan said.

Schneider had to police the verbal antics of such scathingly critical representatives as the NDP’s Trevor Harding, Gary McRobb, Eric Fairclough, Dave Keenan and Dennis Fentie, as well as the Yukon Party’s Peter Jenkins.

Duncan also remembers Schneider for his quick empathy.

“I had some challenging times when my father (Tommy) was ill, and I remember Dennis’s kindness ... he recognized when personal times were challenging for members at one time or another,” she said.

Current Yukon Party MLA Scott Kent served in Duncan’s cabinet.

“The thing that stands out to me is his sense of humour,” Kent told the Star earlier this week. “He always had some great story.

“Our condolences go to Dennis’s family and friends and former colleagues.”

Schneider did “a good job” in the difficult Speaker’s role, Kent added.

“It was different in those days. The opposition was very tough ... it was a different legislature then.

“I will have a few more memories as the day progresses.”

Former Liberal cabinet minister Don Roberts said Wednesday, “I will always remember him as a straight shooter; he called it black-and-white, and that was it.

“He was what he was, and I very much liked working with him because he told it the way it was.”

Roberts described the late lawmaker as “a very good Speaker ... you could tell he had been in the RCMP for many years; he was very straightforward.

“If he had to change a ruling, he would come back and change it. He admitted his faults, like all good people do.”

The Duncan government tumbled into crisis mode after MLAs Roberts, Mike McLarnon and the late Wayne Jim left the Liberal party over deep disagreements with the premier and sat as independents across the floor from the government. Local media dubbed the trio “the three amigos”.

“He (Schneider) tried to pull us together and see if there was a compromise,” Roberts recalled.

“He was open to trying to find solutions. That was the way he was.”

Roberts said he will always harbour good memories of his former colleague.

“He was always open to a good laugh without trying to be too serious on the job at the time.”

Many local school children will remember Schneider as the Safety Bear, a paws-on role that saw him visit schools and teach kids lessons on how to be safe as they progressed through the stages of life.

“I would like to express my sincere condolences on the passing of former MLA Dennis Schneider,” Premier Ranj Pillai said Thursday.

“Dennis served the territory as the MLA for Whitehorse West and the Speaker of the House from 2000 to 2002.

“Born in Manitoba, Dennis served with the RCMP for 36 years with postings in Saskatchewan and Whitehorse. Post-retirement in 1996, he embarked on his political career and several other enterprises, including a stint as a school bus driver.

“Dennis was well-known and well-regarded by his community. My thoughts are with Dennis’s family and friends at this difficult time,” the premier added.

“He will be greatly missed.”

Schneider’s political career ended when he was defeated in the 2002 election by the Yukon Party’s Elaine Taylor, 398 votes to 319, in Whitehorse West, which had historically been held by former NDP premier Tony Penikett.

Taylor, who had also fruitlessly contested the riding in 2000, went on to become a mainstay minister in the new government of Fentie, who by then had migrated from the New Democrats to the leadership of the Yukon Party.

Schneider is survived by his wife, Yvonne, and three adult offspring, among other family members.