Election of the Right Rev. Shane Parker as Primate elect for the Anglican Church of Canada

The Right Reverend Shane Parker, Bishop of Ottowa, has just been elected at General Synod as the 15th Primate Elect of the Anglican Church of Canada, replacing Anne Germond, who became the interim Archbishop once Linda Nicholls retired. Bishop Shane Parker was an addition to the original slate of four candidates, and was elected on the 5th ballot.

The Right Reverend Shane Alexander Donaldson Parker, BA, MA, BTh, DUniv, was born to Irish parents in Edmonton, Alberta, and lived in western Canada during his childhood. He worked as a labourer for several years before undergraduate and graduate studies in sociology at Carleton University, and was a professional sociologist prior to studies in theology at Saint Paul University. In 2022, Saint Paul University granted him the honorary degree of Doctorem Universitatis.

Bishop Shane has served as a part-time professor of pastoral ministry at Saint Paul University, and chairs its Anglican Studies Advisory Committee. A collection of his pastoral essays was published by Novalis in a book called Answering the Big Questions. He is a recipient of the Interfaith Ottawa Award, for devoted service to promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation. He has close connections with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and has led many pilgrimages there in collaboration with local partners. As Dean at Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa, he championed the extensive development of cathedral and diocesan properties to ensure revenue for ministry well into the future.

Following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, he led the Cathedral to host events to build new relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. In 2018, he appointed an Algonquin Spiritual Teacher in Residence at the Cathedral. Bishop Shane has spoken about reconciliation on a number of occasions, including the National Consultation on Indigenous Anglican Self-Determination in Pinawa (MB) and the first Community of the Cross of Nails interfaith pilgrimage in Coventry Cathedral (UK). As the Bishop of Ottawa, he appointed four indigenous advisors (Algonquin, Inuit, First Nations, Metis) to guide engagement in reconciliation.  

Bishop Shane has experience and expertise in mediation, governance, strategy, and leading organizational change. He has led significant change in the culture, structure, and operations of the Diocese of Ottawa, following meaningful consultation and the testing and refinement of proposals before final decision-making. Changes included efficiencies and greater financial self-sufficiency in the central office of the diocese, accompanied by a strong service orientation toward its parishes and community ministries.  He is married to Katherine Shadbolt, a lawyer specializing in family law and mediation. He has three adult children and three grandchildren. He is handy, enjoys physical work, and is most comfortable in natural places.

A statement by the nominee of his vision of the role of the Primate:
In the immediate future, we must focus on addressing the urgent need for major changes in our national structure, operations, and culture—a need that is expressed in the Creating Pathways document and our Transformational Commitments. To accomplish this, the Primate, as Chief Executive Officer of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, must embrace and exercise the canonical authority to govern our central organization and lead deep change. Especially at this time, the Primate must work intentionally to ensure that our central resources (including staffing, property, and financial assets) are arranged and used in a focused and efficient manner that suits who we are today. The role of Primate includes effective executive leadership, but the Primate is, foremost, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Canada—an important province in the Anglican Communion.  

The Primate is called to be a servant-leader in this broader episcopal role: ensuring good order and right relations, enabling unity and interdependence, lifting up the Gospel values of peace and justice, and celebrating the diversity of our dioceses and Sacred Circle as we follow Jesus in our time. The Primate holds the authority to be a pastor to our bishops and to convene them, facilitating their discussions, enabling collegiality and mutual support, and encouraging them to seek the mind of Christ. The Primate must carefully observe and listen well to all the people and parts of the Anglican Church of Canada in order to connect us, to represent us, and to guide us in ways that are faithful, compelling, and visionary.