The Anglican Church of Canada has elected the Rt Rev. Shane Parker as the 15th Primate.
The Primatial Elections were held at St. Paul's Cathedral on June 26 during the 44th session of the Province's General Synod, which has been taking place in London, Ontario (23-29 June). Parker will be installed as Primate during Closing Worship on Sunday June 29.
The Primate is the spiritual leader of the Anglican church, the chief executive officer of the church’s national staff team and a member of every national committee, council and board. The Primate represents the church nationally and internationally.
The Anglican Church of Canada stated "With thanksgiving, we announce the election of the Rt. Rev. Shane Parker as the 15th Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. We give thanks for the laity, clergy and bishops of the General Synod who discerned in prayer and faith; for the nominees who offered themselves in trust; and for the Diocese of Ottawa, which will also enter a time of transition."
Until this point, the Rt Rev Shane Parker has served as the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa since 2020. Prior to that, he was dean of the Diocese of Ottawa and rector of Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa for two decades. He has a master’s degree in sociology from Carleton University, as well as an honorary doctorate from Saint Paul University, where he has served as a part-time professor of pastoral ministry and chairs its Anglican Studies Advisory Committee.
According to the Diocesan of Ottawa's website, Parker has "training in mediation and reconciliation, and is an associate member of the Ontario Association of Family Mediators. He has established close connections with Coventry Cathedral (UK) and its ministry of reconciliation known as the Community of the Cross of Nails, an international peace and reconciliation network; and with Saint George’s Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem, which is deeply committed to interfaith dialogue, peace, and reconciliation. He is also the president of the Community of the Cross of Nails – Canada (the Canadian branch of Coventry’s network)."
A full bio for the Rt Rev Shane Parker can be found on the Primatial Election page.
The Primatial Elections started with four candidates: The Most Revd Christopher Harper; The Most Revd Gregory Kerr-Wilson; The Rt Revd David Lehmann and the Rt Revd Riscylla Shaw.
After the second ballot there was a "Motion by the Order of Laity to ask for further candidates from the Order of Bishops" which saw The Rt Revd Shane Parker added to the third ballot.
In the final ballot, the Rt Revd Shane Parker achieved 53 votes from the Order of Clergy, 68 votes from the Order of Laity and a total of 121. This was 65% of the vote share.
The Rt Revd Riscylla Shaw was second, with 28 votes from the Order of Clergy, 34 from the Order of Laity and 62 in total (34% of vote share).
The outcomes of each stage of the Primatial Election can be found on the website for the Anglican Church of Canada.
The Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, the Secretary-General of the Anglican Communion has been in Canada this week to attend the General Synod and Primatial election. He said: “We pray for the Rt. Rev. Shane Parker as he takes up this important ministry. May God use him powerfully to serve the churches and communities in the Province of Canada, and as part of the global family that is the Anglican Communion. We look forward to welcoming Archbishop Shane to the next Primates’ meeting and his involvement in the Instruments of Communion in the years ahead."
Following the retirement of Primate Linda Nicholls on Sept. 15, 2024, the Anglican Church of Canada was served by an acting Primate, Archbishop Anne Germond.
Parker was installed in his new role during a worship service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Ontario, on Sunday, June 29, 2025.
For more information
For more information about the Primatial elections, visit the website for the Anglican Church of Canada.
Article updated on Monday 30 June.