Mourners gathered in Tignish, Prince Edward Island, to pay respects to the Honourable Gail Shea, who died of cancer on Aug. 21. She was one of the Island’s leading Conservatives, serving as a minister in the provincial Progressive Conservative government of Premier Pat Binns before going on to serve two terms as a Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister.
Shea served as Minister of National Revenue and later as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in Stephen Harper’s Conservative government. At the provincial level, she was Minister of Transportation and Public Works. Her proudest accomplishment was pushing to make the Island’s Route 2 part of the Trans-Canada Highway system. She also played a major role in launching the Stompin’ Tom Connors Centre in Skinners Pond to honour the legendary P.E.I. country singer.
Her funeral was attended by Premier Rob Lantz and former premiers, ministers, MLAs, MPs, and former colleagues such as Peter MacKay, Lisa Raitt and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Poilievre paid a heartfelt tribute to Shea.
She was 66 years old.
