Wikipedia

Gail Shea

Anne Marie Gail Shea PC (née Doucette; April 6, 1959 – August 21, 2025) was a Canadian politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Egmont from 2008 to 2015. She had previously been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island from 2000 to 2007, representing the electoral district of Tignish-DeBlois as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.

The Honourable
Gail A. Shea
PC
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
In office
July 15, 2013 – November 4, 2015
Prime MinisterStephen Harper
Preceded byKeith Ashfield
Succeeded byHunter Tootoo
In office
October 30, 2008 – May 18, 2011
Prime MinisterStephen Harper
Preceded byLoyola Hearn
Succeeded byKeith Ashfield
Minister of National Revenue
In office
May 18, 2011 – July 15, 2013
Preceded byKeith Ashfield
Succeeded byKerry-Lynne Findlay
Member of Parliament
for Egmont
In office
October 14, 2008 – August 4, 2015
Preceded byJoe McGuire
Succeeded byBobby Morrissey
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island for Tignish-DeBlois
In office
April 17, 2000 – May 28, 2007
Preceded byBobby Morrissey
Succeeded byNeil LeClair
Personal details
BornAnne Marie Gail Doucette
(1959-04-06)April 6, 1959
Skinners Pond, Prince Edward Island, Canada
DiedAugust 21, 2025(2025-08-21) (aged 66)
O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, Canada
PartyConservative
Other political
affiliations
Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island
Spouse
Russell Shea
​
​
(m. 1976; died 2021)​
Children5

Shea served as the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in the federal cabinet.

Provincial politics

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Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs

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Shea served as Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs from 2000 to 2003, under the second administration of Premier Pat Binns. During this period Shea's responsibilities included the Status of Women in the province, as well as providing oversight on the Workers Compensation Board and the Island Waste Management Corporation.[1]

Minister of Transportation and Public Works

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From 2003 to 2007 Shea served as Minister of Transportation and Public Works. In this position, Shea oversaw the implementation of a graduated licensing system in her home province.[2]

Federal politics

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Shea stood as the Conservative Party of Canada candidate in the riding of Egmont for the 2008 federal election.[3] On October 14, 2008, she became the first non-Liberal MP from Prince Edward Island in 24 years.[4] On October 30, 2008, Shea was appointed the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.[5] She is only the third female MP from Prince Edward Island, following Margaret Mary Macdonald and Catherine Callbeck.[6]

In the 2011 federal election, Shea was re-elected by a margin of 4500 votes.[7] On May 18, 2011, she was appointed Minister of National Revenue.[8][9] In July 2013, Shea was moved back into the fisheries position.[10] In the 2015 election, Shea was defeated by Liberal Bobby Morrissey.[11][12]

Pie incident

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On January 25, 2010, Shea was pied while giving a speech at the Canada Centre for Inland Waters. An American PETA activist, Emily McCoy, was arrested in Burlington in connection with the incident, and charged with assault. PETA took public responsibility for the incident, saying that it was part of a broader campaign against the Canadian Government's support of the seal hunt.[13][14]

When commenting on the event later, Shea remarked, "I can tell you that this incident actually strengthens my resolve to support the seal hunt. If this is what it takes to stand up for Canadian sealing families and this industry I'm certainly very proud to do it."[15]

Personal life and death

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She was born at Skinners Pond, Prince Edward Island on April 6, 1959, the daughter of Roy Ernest and Elva Mary (née Perry) Doucette.[16] She married Russell Shea and had five children.[16] Her husband, Russell, died in 2021.[17] Outside of politics, she worked as a bookkeeper and worked for the Canada Revenue Agency and a tax centre in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.[16]

Shea died at the age of 66 at a hospital in O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, on August 21, 2025.[16][18][19] Hundreds of mourners attended her funeral on August 27, 2025, at St. Simon & St. Jude Church in Tignish.[20]

Electoral record

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Federal

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2015 Canadian federal election: Egmont
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalBobby Morrissey10,52149.25+17.94$67,240.83
ConservativeGail Shea6,18528.95–25.70$110,058.32
New DemocraticHerb Dickieson4,09719.18+6.81$34,718.49
GreenNils Ling5592.62+0.95$4,895.27
Total valid votes/expense limit 21,36299.59 $169,928.60
Total rejected ballots 870.41–0.39
Turnout 21,44977.29+5.62
Eligible voters 27,751
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +21.82
Source: Elections Canada[21][22]
2011 Canadian federal election: Egmont
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeGail Shea10,46754.65+10.72$57,565.04
LiberalGuy Gallant5,99731.31-12.32$34,428.58
New DemocraticJacquie Robichaud2,36912.37+3.32$1,780.97
GreenCarl Anthony3201.67-1.72$250.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 19,153100.0   $69,831.16
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 1550.80+0.18
Turnout 19,30871.67+3.52
Eligible voters 26,941
Conservative hold Swing +11.52
Sources:[23][24]
2008 Canadian federal election: Egmont
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeGail Shea8,11043.93+12.97$51,795.67
LiberalKeith Milligan8,05543.63-9.54$45,007.86
New DemocraticOrville Lewis1,6709.05-0.50$2,245.18
GreenRebecca Ridlington6263.39-1.80$2,678.98
Total valid votes/expense limit 18,461100.0   $67,686
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 1150.62+0.01
Turnout 18,57668.15-3.57
Eligible voters 27,256
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.26
Sources:[25]

Provincial

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2007 Prince Edward Island general election: Tignish-Palmer Road
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalNeil LeClair1,56955.15+11.18
Progressive ConservativeGail Shea1,27644.85−10.44
Total valid votes 2,845100.0  
Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +10.81
Source:[26]
2003 Prince Edward Island general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeGail A. Shea1,48055.29-0.64
LiberalNeil J. LeClair1,17743.97+3.39
New DemocraticReg T. Pendergast200.75-2.75
Total valid votes 2,677100.0  
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -2.02
Source:[27]
2000 Prince Edward Island general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeGail A. Shea1,47255.93+12.04
LiberalNeil J. LeClair1,06840.58-13.39
New DemocraticReg T. Pendergast923.50+1.36
Total valid votes 2,632100.0  
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +12.72
Source:[28]
1996 Prince Edward Island general election: Tignish-DeBlois
Party Candidate Votes%
LiberalRobert Joseph Morrissey1,41353.97
Progressive ConservativeGail A. Shea1,14943.89
New DemocraticHoward Waite562.14
Total valid votes 2,618100.0  
This riding was created from parts of the dual-member riding of 1st Prince.
Source:[29]

References

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  1. ↑ "Government Bio"; Archived January 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved January 21, 2010
  2. ↑ "Personal Sight"; Archived October 7, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Shea wins Egmont nomination". CBC News. December 17, 2007. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Gail Shea makes history in Egmont". The Guardian. Charlottetown. October 14, 2008. Archived from the original on March 5, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Shea becomes fisheries minister". The Guardian. Charlottetown. October 30, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  6. ↑ "The House of Commons | PEI's Famous 5". www.peifamousfive.ca. Interministerial Women's Secretariat of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Shea cruises to easy win". CBC News. May 2, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Shea named revenue minister". CBC News. May 18, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Shea named Minister of National Revenue". The Journal Pioneer. May 18, 2011. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Stephen Harper names eight new members to his cabinet, moves Peter MacKay out of defence". National Post. July 15, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Conservative Gail Shea loses Egmont to Liberal Bobby Morrissey". CBC News. October 19, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Liberal sweep in P.E.I., Gail Shea defeated in Egmont". The Guardian. Charlottetown. October 19, 2015. Archived from the original on October 21, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  13. ↑ "PETA claims responsibility after Fisheries Minister pied in face". The Globe and Mail. January 25, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Fisheries minister gets pie in face". CBC News. January 25, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Pie hit should earn PETA 'terrorist' label: MP". CBC News. January 26, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Ryan, Carolyn (August 21, 2025). "'Trailblazer' Gail Shea, former federal fisheries minister and MP from P.E.I., dies at 66". CBC News. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Russell Alexander Shea". Rooneys Funeral Home, Alberton, PEI. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Obituaries". Rooneys Funeral Home, Alberton, PEI. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  19. ↑ "The Honourable Gail Shea". Rooneys Funeral Home, Alberton, PEI. Archived from the original on August 22, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  20. ↑ Ryan, Carolyn (August 27, 2025). "Family, friends and politicians attend Gail Shea's funeral in Tignish, P.E.I. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, ex-premier Pat Binns among honorary pallbearers". CBC News. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  21. ↑ "October 19, 2015 Election Results — Egmont (Validated results)". Elections Canada. October 21, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  22. ↑ Elections Canada – Final Candidates Election Expenses Limits
  23. ↑ Elections Canada – Official voting results, Forty-first general election, 2011
  24. ↑ Elections Canada – Candidate's electoral campaign return, 41st general election
  25. ↑ Elections Canada – Official voting results, Fortieth general election, 2008
  26. ↑ "PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND VOTES 2007 District Profiles Tignish-Palmer Road (27)". CBC News. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  27. ↑ "PEI Elections 2003: TIGNISH - DEBLOIS". CBC News. Archived from the original on February 19, 2005. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  28. ↑ "2000 Election Official Results". Elections PEI. Archived from the original on February 17, 2007. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Provincial General Election Results, 1996" (PDF). Elections PEI. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
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