# Gail Shea

Gail A. Shea PC (born April 6, 1959) is a Canadian politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Egmont from 2008 to 2015. She was previously 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.
Shea served as the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in the federal cabinet.

## Provincial politics
### Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs

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.

### Minister of Transportation and Public Works

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.

## Federal politics

Shea stood as the Conservative Party of Canada candidate in the riding of Egmont for the 2008 federal election. On October 14, 2008, she became the first non-Liberal MP from Prince Edward Island in 24 years. On October 30, 2008, Shea was appointed the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. She is only the third female MP from Prince Edward Island, following Margaret Mary Macdonald and Catherine Callbeck.
In the 2011 federal election, Shea was re-elected by a margin of 4500 votes. On May 18, 2011, she was appointed Minister of National Revenue. In July 2013, Shea was moved back into the fisheries position. In the 2015 election, Shea was defeated by Liberal Bobby Morrissey.

### Pie incident

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 has taken public responsibility for the incident, saying that it was part of a broader campaign against the Canadian Government's support of the seal hunt.
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."

## Electoral record
### Federal

vte2015 Canadian federal election: Egmont :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Bobby Morrissey | 10,521 | 49.25 | +17.94 | $67,240.83 |
| | Conservative | Gail Shea | 6,185 | 28.95 | –25.70 | $110,058.32 |
| | New Democratic | Herb Dickieson | 4,097 | 19.18 | +6.81 | $34,718.49 |
| | Green | Nils Ling | 559 | 2.62 | +0.95 | $4,895.27 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 21,362 | 99.59 | | $169,928.60 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 87 | 0.41 | –0.39 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,449 | 77.29 | +5.62 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 27,751 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | Swing | +21.82 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2011 Canadian federal election: Egmont :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Gail Shea | 10,467 | 54.65 | +10.72 | $57,565.04 |
| | Liberal | Guy Gallant | 5,997 | 31.31 | -12.32 | $34,428.58 |
| | New Democratic | Jacquie Robichaud | 2,369 | 12.37 | +3.32 | $1,780.97 |
| | Green | Carl Anthony | 320 | 1.67 | -1.72 | $250.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 19,153 | 100.0 | | $69,831.16 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 155 | 0.80 | +0.18 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,308 | 71.67 | +3.52 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 26,941 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +11.52 |
| Sources: |||||||
vte2008 Canadian federal election: Egmont :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Gail Shea | 8,110 | 43.93 | +12.97 | $51,795.67 |
| | Liberal | Keith Milligan | 8,055 | 43.63 | -9.54 | $45,007.86 |
| | New Democratic | Orville Lewis | 1,670 | 9.05 | -0.50 | $2,245.18 |
| | Green | Rebecca Ridlington | 626 | 3.39 | -1.80 | $2,678.98 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 18,461 | 100.0 | | $67,686 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 115 | 0.62 | +0.01 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,576 | 68.15 | -3.57 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 27,256 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +11.26 |

### Provincial

vte2007 Prince Edward Island general election: Tignish-Palmer Road :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Neil LeClair | 1,569 | 55.15 | +11.18 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Gail Shea | 1,276 | 44.85 | −10.44 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,845 | 100.0 |
| | Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative | Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative | Swing | Swing | +10.81 |
2003 Prince Edward Island general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Gail A. Shea | 1,480 | 55.29 | -0.64 |
| | Liberal | Neil J. LeClair | 1,177 | 43.97 | +3.39 |
| | New Democratic | Reg T. Pendergast | 20 | 0.75 | -2.75 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,677 | 100.0 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -2.02 |
2000 Prince Edward Island general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Gail A. Shea | 1,472 | 55.93 | +12.04 |
| | Liberal | Neil J. LeClair | 1,068 | 40.58 | -13.39 |
| | New Democratic | Reg T. Pendergast | 92 | 3.50 | +1.36 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,632 | 100.0 |
| | Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal | Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +12.72 |
1996 Prince Edward Island general election: Tignish-DeBlois :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Robert Joseph Morrissey | 1,413 | 53.97 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Gail A. Shea | 1,149 | 43.89 |
| | New Democratic | Howard Waite | 56 | 2.14 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,618 | 100.0 |
| This riding was created from parts of the dual-member riding of 1st Prince. |||||||