Walter R. Shaw

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Walter Russell Shaw (1887-1981) was a Prince Edward Island politician. Shaw worked as a civil servant in the provincial department of agriculture from 1934 to 1954 rising to the position of deputy minister. He also helped found the PEI Federation of Agriculture serving as its first general secretary. He entered politics in 1957 when he was chosen leader of the Progressive Conservative Party. He led the party to victory in the 1959 election becoming Premier at the age of 71.

The Shaw government supported the expansion of the province's food processing industry, instituted a regional system of high schools and revamped the employment system and pay scale for the civil service. Despite its support for the farming industry Shaw's government failed to reverse the decline in the number of family farms and was unable to successfully diversify the economy. His government was defeated by the PEI Liberal Party in 1966 though Shaw remained in the legislature as leader of the opposition until 1970 when he retired at the age of 87.