Schreyer was a great supporter of equal rights for women and after establishing the Governor General's awards he focused on Emily Murphy as a pioneer in the struggle for equality. He also established the Governor General's Conservation awards.

His most important actions revolved around the roe that the Governor General's office was primarily intended to play, which was the adjudication of political situations in the House of Commons.  When Joe Clark lost a non-confidence vote in the House of Commons in December 1979 he considered asking the Liberals to try and form a government but decided against it. He also let it be know that if a constitutional crisis arose, from the Liberals efforts in 1981-82 to repatriate the constitution, he might dissolve Parliament over the issues and call a general election.

Schreyer was a strong supporter of Canadian nationalism and bilingualism but struggled with his relationship with he media who portrayed him as a little stiff and cold in public.

At the end of  his term as Govern General, Ed Schreyer was immediately appointed as Canadian High Commissioner to Australia until 1988 when he returned to Winnipeg. He also kept himself busy with the Canadian Shield Foundation of which he donated his Governors General pension to for 5 years and Habitat for Humanity. In 2002 he was appointed as Chancellor of Brandon University and held that position until 2008