Schreyer resigned as party leader in 1979, Cherniack offered to serve as interim leader until a party convention could be held. He set a number of conditions to this offer, however; those who supported Green contended that he was trying to secure the leadership for either himself or Wilson Parasiuk. At a caucus vote Green and Howard Pawley contested Cherniack's interim leadership, and he received only three votes for the position of interim leader. Howard Pawley, the successful candidate, subsequently named him as the party's deputy leader. Cherniack announced his retirement from political life in October 1980, saying "I am selfish enough to want a little more private life and have for some time [...] There comes a time in a person's life when he has a right to say I want to be relieved of the burden". Cherniack criticized the Manitoba New Democratic Party's recent leadership divisions in making his announcement, arguing that personality questions were obscuring substantive issues. He remained a member of the legislature until the 1981 election. Post-political career After his retirement from politics, Cherniack became chair of Manitoba Hydro, and served as a member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee overseeing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service from 1984 to 1992. Accordingly, he was sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada on November 30, 1984 to enable him access to information restricted under the Official Secrets Act. Cherniack has also served as national vice-president of the Canadian Jewish Congress. He retired from his legal practice in 2000. In the 1999 provincial election, his son Lawrie Cherniack ran for the NDP in Fort Garry against Joy Smith, and lost by only 30 votes. In 2003, he supported Bill Blaikie's campaign to lead the federal New Democratic Party. Cherniack was a member of both the Order of Canada and the Order of Manitoba. He turned 100 in January 2017 and died on 30 March 2018 at the age of 101. See also Archives There is a Saul Mark Cherniack fonds at Library and Archives Canada. The archival reference number is R2112. Footnotes External links Order of Canada Citation 1917 births 2018 deaths Canadian socialists New Democratic Party of Manitoba MLAs Members of the Order of Canada Members of the Order of Manitoba Lawyers in Manitoba Canadian King's Counsel Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada Winnipeg city councillors University of Manitoba alumni Jewish Canadian politicians Members