Walter Russell Shaw

Shaw, Walter Russell

Walter Russell Shaw, farmer, politician, premier of PEI (b at West River, PEI 20 Dec 1887; d at Charlottetown 29 May 1981). Elected leader in 1957, Shaw led the Conservatives to victory in 1959. Under Shaw, the civil service was enlarged and modernized and in 1963 the Island's electoral system was reformed. Despite the alarms over the "farm crisis" raised by Shaw when in Opposition, the number of family farms and persons engaged in farming continued to decline throughout his tenure. His government concentrated on the problems of Island development but was unable to establish resource-based secondary industry. Defeated by the Liberals under Alex CAMPBELL in 1966, he remained leader of the Opposition until 1970. Eloquent, witty and personable, Shaw remained a highly respected public figure after he retired from politics.