Joan Shea
Joan Shea MHA, (formerly Joan Burke) is a former Canadian politician and Cabinet minister in Newfoundland and Labrador. From 2003 to 2014 Shea served as the member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for the district of St. George's-Stephenville East.
During her entire career as a MHA she served as a minister in the Cabinets of Danny Williams, Kathy Dunderdale and Tom Marshall. Shea held the posts of Minister of Environment and Conservative, Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, Minister of Education, and Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services. Shea was also the first women to serve as Government House Leader in the province's history. Before entering politics she worked as a parole officer in Stephenville.
Politics
Shea was elected to politics in the 2003 election as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party. Following the election she was sworn into Cabinet as the Minister of Human Resources and Employment and as the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. In 2005 Premier Danny Williams appointed Shea as the Minister of Education. In the 2007 general election Shea was re-elected with 75% of the vote, up from 53% in 2003. Shea remained as Minister of Education following the election and in May 2008 was also named Government House Leader, becoming the first woman appointed to this position in the history of the province.
In April 2009, she was appointed minister of the newly created Department of Child, Youth, and Family Services.[1] She became the acting minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment in December 2010, and the following month she was re-appointed as Minister of Education.
Shea's name has been mentioned as a possible leader of the Progressive Conservatives and following the resignation of Premier Williams it was thought that Shea may try and succeed him. However, Shea endorsed Kathy Dunderdale for that position and she was eventually acclaimed leader of the party.[2][3]
Following the 2011 provincial election Shea was appointed the minister of the newly created Department of Advanced Education and Skills. The new department combines the post-secondary education component of the Department of Education and most of the former Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.[4] She resigned from politics on June 2, 2014.[5]
Controversy
In 2008 Shea came under fire when she admitted that she had vetoed two candidates to take over the presidency of Memorial University of Newfoundland and for insisting on approving the new President. Opposition politicians as well as academics criticized the move and the incoming president of Memorial's Faculty Association said that Shea seemed to be in contravention of the Memorial University Act, which states that the President is to be selected by the board of regents in consultation with the university's senate and with the approval of the lieutenant-governor [in] council.[6]
Electoral record
| Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2011 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Progressive Conservative | Joan Burke | 2,104 | 49.29% | – | |
| Liberal | Kevin Aylward | 1,397 | 32.72% | ||
| NDP | Bernice Hancock | 705 | 16.51% | ||
| Independent | Dean Simon | 63 | 1.48% | ||
| St. George's-Stephenville East - Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2007[7] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Progressive Conservative | Joan Burke | 3143 | 74.74% | – | |
| Liberal | George Lee | 1062 | 25.26% | ||
| St. George's-Stephenville East - Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2003[8] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Progressive Conservative | Joan Burke | 2,927 | 52.63% | – | |
| Liberal | Ron Dawe | 2,464 | 44.31% | ||
| Independent | Nancy Critchley | 170 | 3.06% | ||
References
- ↑ "Premier Announces Changes to Cabinet". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. 9 April 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ Bartlett, Steve (26 November 2010). "Next in line?". The Telegram. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ↑ "Dunderdale shoots for N.L. Tory nod". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 30 December 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ↑ Gale, Frank (30 October 2011). "Burke ready to take on new challenges". The Western Star. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ "Joan Shea stepping down as MHA". CBC News. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- ↑ Profs, politicians attack Burke over MUN hiring CBC News, July 30, 2008
- ↑ Newfoundland & Labrador Votes 2007. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ↑ Newfoundland & Labrador Votes 2003. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved May 22, 2009.