Derwyn Shea

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Derwyn Shea (born 1937 in Hamilton, Ontario) is an Anglican Church of Canada clergyman and a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a municipal politician in the city of Toronto for 12 years, and sat as a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 1999, representing the riding of High Park-Swansea.

Shea was educated at the University of Toronto, the University of Western Ontario, Laurentian University and the University of Chicago, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree (magna cum laude), a Master of Arts degree in urban history and structure, a Dip.Th, a Th.B and a Doctor of Theology. His pastoral clinical studies were taken at McMaster University. He is an ordained Anglican priest, and worked in the dioceses of Saskatchewan, Algoma and Toronto before entering politics. He founded the Eastview Neighbourhood Association for latchkey youth in Toronto's east end, and was co-author of the benchmark East Toronto Deanery Study. He was the first Canadian to receive a Fellowship from the Academy of Parish Clergy, and was involved in Ugandan relief efforts.

In 1999 Shea was inducted as rector of St Hilda's parish in Toronto and Chairman and CEO of St Hilda's Towers. In 2002 he was installed as a canon in the Diocese of Toronto. He has also served as president of the Canadian National Exhibition, governor of Exhibition Place in Toronto, and as chair of the O'Keefe Centre for the Performing Arts.

Shea was a member of the city of Toronto's Planning Board from 1972 to 1982 including 4 years as chairman, when he was elected in his first attempt as senior alderman in Toronto's ward 1. From 1988 to 1994, he represented Toronto-High Park on the Metropolitan Toronto council. In the 1991 municipal election, Shea defeated NDP challenger David Miller.

In the 1995 provincial election, Shea defeated New Democratic Party cabinet minister and incumbent Elaine Ziemba by about 1,500 votes. He was a backbench member of Mike Harris's caucus for the next four years, serving as parliamentary assistant responsible for urban affairs and then as parliamentary assistant for citizenship and culture. He retired from political activities in 1999, and returned to his position as rector of St. Hilda's Anglican Church.

During his career Shea served with a number of agencies, boards and commissions. He was a police commissioner and a commissioner of Toronto Hydro and served a number of hospital boards including Toronto General, Toronto Western, Princess Margaret and Runnymede Chronic Care. In 2000 Shea initiated and was later elected founding chairman of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians.

In 2004, Shea endorsed Frank Klees's bid to lead the Ontario PC Party.