New Canadian Primate Elected at General Synod

On Thursday, June 26, the clergy and lay members of the 2025 General Synod elected Bishop Shane Parker, bishop of Ottawa, as the new primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.

“Archbishop Shane has long been a faithful and wise shepherd within our province, as Bishop of Ottawa,” said Bishop Susan. “His deep pastoral sensitivity, theological insight, and unwavering commitment to justice and reconciliation, as well as his laser focus on priority issues, have been a deep blessing to our province and will continue to be so for the wider Church.”

The election process began with the bishops selecting four candidates ahead of the assembly. The ballot that morning began with Archbishop Christopher Harper, national Indigenous Anglican Bishop, Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson, metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of Northern Lights, Bishop David Lehmann, bishop of Caledonia, and Bishop Riscylla Shaw, suffragan bishop of Toronto. After the second ballot, the Order of Laity moved a motion to request additional names for the next ballot. The bishops then selected Bishop Parker, who was subsequently elected on the fifth ballot.

Archbishop Parker was then formally installed as the 15th primate of the Anglican Church of Canada on Sunday, June 30th, at St. Paul’s Cathedral. 

During his ministry, Archbishop Parker has built a notable resume as priest, archdeacon, Dean of Ottawa, and rector of Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa, before becoming the bishop of Ottawa. He is also known as a writer and a part-time professor at St. Paul’s University. Archbishop Parker has been actively committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. He has spoken out in support of 2S-LGBTQI+ people and the importance of creating safe spaces. He also firmly believes in the calling for Christians to live in Communion with one another.

Learn more about Archbishop Shane Parker in the Anglican Journal.

The primate is the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church of Canada, representing the church nationally and internationally. They also serve as the chief executive officer of the church’s national staff team and a member of all national committees, councils and boards. 

We join Bishop Susan in prayer, “May God grant Archbishop Shane strength, wisdom, and most of all, joy in this new calling.”

Photos by Charlotte Poolton on behalf of the General Synod