Career
He would go on to be re-elected to 4 terms in office before his defeat in the 1935 Canadian federal election, in that election he ran under the Cooperative Commonwealth banner instead of the United Farmers banner. He was defeated by Social Cr candidate Eric Joseph Poole and finished that election a distant 3rd place. Speakman ran as an Independent in Red Deer in the 1940 Alberta general election and was elected with a comfortable vote margin after ballot transfers.
Speakman served as an Independent in the Unity caucus until his death in 1943.
Speakman would briefly serve as Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta in 1942.